Moon Child

by Christina Moore

  I see, Master, Ash pleaded, crying. Please… I see them. I understand.

  With a mental pat on the head, the cacophony of misery stopped. Her soul felt light and warm, the blanket of another’s wrapped around her. But it was not the aura of another of her kind, this was alive and benevolent. This was the soul of someone who loved her despite her faults and blunders. This was the soul of someone full of life and grateful for the chance to continue on.

  By the Goddess, how can I be the one to change all of that now?

  You will, Innokentiy’s gentle tone soothed over her. He’s here because he loves you. You know what must happen.

  Yes.

  “Ash?” The whisper filled her ear, seeped into her skull like fire warmed silk and sent a shiver down her spine. The voices were all gone and now it was just her and Innokentiy alone in her head with Tristan floating on the fringes. He was her pillar, the one who would hold her when she fell apart.

  Unwilling to break the connection and start over again, Ash refused to release her bite on the Master vampire. Instead, she wiggled a little until she settled her backside against Tristan’s warmth. She felt like she were in two places at once, the cold, hollow existence of her own thoughts and the warm, solid, protective wall of Tristan with her body.

  Ash felt Innokentiy shift in her thoughts followed by a slip of something tingling and sensual that made her wiggle against Tristan. He answered her with his own squirm as a hint of that sensation found his groin.

  More, Ash commanded because she would never be reduced to begging another of her kind again.

  Netty’s laugh filled her head. Both Ash and Tristan shivered in response. This is where the fun begins.

  Thoughts on the verge of hesitation, Ash took a mental breath to ask him to wait, to give her a moment to explain to Tristan what was about to happen, but it was too late. Innokentiy was already slipping in her mind as if he were slipping into her body. An echo of cries rang out from the others as the ecstasy of being invaded so intimately jerked them straight from not even thinking about sex to almost climaxing within the space of a thought.

  At her back, Tristan slumped over Ash, his free hand groping at her breasts, his lips opening on her neck to taste her through his gasps for air. A hand touched his inner thigh, wedged between him and Ash’s own leg. Another hand took his shoulder and he sighed as the pressure of release subsided, having trickled into the body at his back, a light reprieve from the inevitable.

  Ash moaned, her mouth and throat working again as she pulled more of Innokentiy’s blood into her and with the blood came the flow of experiences that he wanted her to have. He gave her some useless memories, things to remember one by and think they were great, things one would boast about in epitaphs. But those other things, they were skills that only the oldest of their kind were capable of teaching. Things that most did not bother to pass on, unable to find a scion worthy of such treasures and ultimately die with. And despite her juvenescence, she was found more than worthy. Innokentiy knew she was destined to do great things. Her and her loving shield—the Uruwashi.

  Ash sobbed in gratitude, the sound barely completed before she felt Innokentiy mentally smile and then he reached for her again, offering her a reward she didn’t want but couldn’t refuse as the heat of passion flared in her again. A burst of tingling warmth found her groin and she couldn’t help but jerk her hips back into Tristan. He echoed her cry and thrust against her, both of them finding a blinding-white climax offered by a mere thought.

  Gasping for air, Ash realized she was no longer biting Innokentiy and opened her eyes. His gaze was fixed upon her, eyes darkened with lust, but more than that, deep admiration. He found in Ash what he longed for in an eternal companion. He was just sorry that he hadn’t found her before Malik destroyed her. But no, that’s not what Malik did. He tried. By Thor’s hammer, the man tried and failed. Even Genoveva and all of her cunning and ruthlessness failed to really break this woman. Ash was stronger than she realized and now, he could truly die with or without Genoveva’s head, knowing that all was right in the world. Ash would see things right with the help of Tristan, the destined inheritors.

  “Master,” Ash gasped as she heard his thoughts for the first time since getting slapped with that human spell.

  He smiled, cupping her cheek with a hand. His wrist was healed already and the blood flaked off into oblivion. “You are the sun,” he whispered and kissed her gently on the cheek.

  “Holy shit,” Tristan muttered, a hand grasping Ash’s chest, unmoving, his head resting on her shoulder. He was keenly aware of the hands on his thighs very close to his balls that never touched them despite the wetness in his pants, and the body at his back, panting for air with him. “Did I just have my first orgy?”

  Mamoru’s shaky chuckle made Tristan shiver at its closeness and then the Japanese man was scrambling off the bench, tugging at his pants, trying to hide his embarrassment. He felt the power Innokentiy had pushed into Ash and unable to resist its call, he drew as close as he could to feel it. That he practically dry humped Tristan from behind wasn’t in his imagination at all.

  “Gomen ni.”

  Despite not wanting anything to do with men sexually, Tristan just shrugged. It wasn’t like they had sex, not real sex anyway with all of their clothes still on. He felt too good to be upset by it now. Later, after he’d come down off the high still lighting little bursts of pleasure to his groin, he’d be upset and embarrassed. No way was he going to ruin it now though. Prudence at its best.

  “Thank you, Master,” Ash said, voice full of gratitude and post-coitus exhaustion. “I accept your gifts with humility and honor.”

  The vampire took his hand back from Tristan’s thigh, letting his fingers glide along to his knee before touching Ash’s cheek. “Godspeed, Asta Moriakos and Tristan Uruwashi.”

  20: Come Out and Play

  TRISTAN felt like the fucking king of the world as glided off the boat amidst a crowd of giggles and groping. Apparently everyone enjoyed the love-in, having felt the effects of the vampire’s metaphysical orgy. Getting off twice in so many hours had been exactly what Tristan needed too. He felt more relaxed than was good for him, but after the terrible past year and half, he deserved the sense of calm and peace filling him, as temporary as it might be.

  A warm hand slipped into his and he smiled down at Ash. Her color was high, a flush pink in her cheeks telling him that she’d benefited from Innokentiy’s blood more than the metaphysical stuff. He fed well enough to pass on enough living human blood from his own veins to feed her, and well. All she needed now was to remove her curse and she’d be able to fuck some serious shit up.

  “Yes,” she said with a snicker. “I like the sound of that. Fuck-shit-up,” she said carefully as if she were trying it on for size and liking it as she smiled up at him. “Very eloquent.”

  Apparently she’d gotten enough ancient vampire blood into her to activate her motonō again. She didn’t need an aura to look human, the curse still did that for her, but now she could hear again. She could hear everything and more. She was hearing the world in a way she’d never experienced before and wondered if this was what it was like to be an ancient one.

  Tristan smiled and kissed her hand, lingering to take in her soft scent. Mamoru and Innokentiy were just ahead of them, heads tilted towards one another as they engaged in a low, but excited conversation. The ancient vampire was freely sharing world truths and secrets with the Uruwashi that lit his eyes with an eager fire. To Tristan it sounded more like gossip.

  The three mile bus ride into the main part of city wasn’t as weird as Tristan imagined it might be. Sure, vampires were people, but they typically didn’t take public transportation. The heavy-set white-haired woman across the aisle from where Innokentiy and Mamoru sat kept making eyes at the Viking. He only smiled pretty, flat human teeth at her. They disembarked near Christina Beach. The hour was early enough that the humans were out in full tilt, enjoying the cool sea breeze, good food and
better company.

  The group shuffled off the bus and started towards Agamemnon’s, only a two block walk from the waterfront. The high from the boat seemed to ghost all around them as happy couples still clung to one another in blind bliss. Everyone went about their own business, oblivious they were walking amongst predators. Beautiful, but deadly nonetheless.

  Tristan happily took Ash’s hand when she bumped it with hers. Yeah, he really could get used to this and wondered how long the good feeling would last. A ripple of excitement shifted through the thinning crowd and Mamoru and Innokentiy’s pace ahead of others slowed. Clearly there was something happening not far from off as a group started to gather again around them.

  “What’s up?” Tristan asked as he and Ash came to a stop with the others.

  Mamoru’s eyes were downcast as he said, “There’s a fire…”

  “Where?” Tristan asked, a tickle of nervousness slipping down his spine. He was feeling nauseous again.

  Innokentiy’s gaze fell on Ash and he frowned. “Our destination, I’m afraid.”

  Ash’s lips parted in understanding and she spun to Mamoru. “Someone is setting the blame on you?”

  He shrugged to hide his worry. “Let’s go see.”

  Despite the rising distress of the crowd, everyone was fairly calm and collected, listening to the officials steering them the opposite direction of the fuss. The local fire brigade had a loose cordon that kept the busybodies at bay. No one stopped the preternatural group as they pushed past the official line and closer to the controlled commotion.

  Tristan gasped when they turned a corner and stopped hard, jerking Ash to him. She was too stunned to protest. The fire, it was huge. It almost didn’t look real as it burned high up into the sky, higher than it should have naturally.

  “It’s spelled,” Mamoru whispered, sounded disgusted.

  Ash tilted her face towards Tristan but her eyes were fixed on the unnatural flames that made them well from their intensity. “The flames will not spread, but will not go out either unless spelled down.”

  “Jesus,” Tristan exclaimed. “Who would do that?”

  The vampire’s exchanged a look but it was Mamoru who answered, “I think we’re being called out.”

  “I will walk the block in search of Agamemnon,” Ash said. “If you happen to see him, secure him. He should be able to spell down the fire.” She started to pull out of Tristan’s hold but was jerked back with a soft sound that might have been desperation. The fear in his eyes… She slumped against him and then kissed him, careful to keep things chaste again since her hunger seemed to return with her motonō abilities. She could control her hunger, she just needed a little space to catch her breath.

  “Back in three minutes.”

  He nodded and let her go, looking to the Viking. “I’m trusting you to watch out for her.” It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Ash to fend for herself. She’d proven more than once she was stronger than him and he accepted that perfectly fine. But she was still under the influence of that curse. Who knew exactly what her limits were, even with Innokentiy’s strong blood on her veins.

  Innokentiy’s look was closed off when he answered, “She can take care of herself.” Without waiting to hear what Tristan might have said to that, he started around the other side of the building to meet Ash halfway and cut down their search time of the antediluvian to a mere minute.

  “I don’t get it,” Tristan said, shifting on his feet as he watched the slowly rising panic as the fire personnel realized the fire wasn’t dying, not even a smidge. “Why set his place on fire? To punish him?”

  Mamoru was tense next to him, digging blindly in his bag for something. “Perhaps. If Agamemnon were working for this Professor too, maybe he did something he wasn’t supposed to. Like help you…”

  He nodded. It was about the gist of his own conclusions. They couldn’t do anything but watch as the confused workers fought so desperately to put the fire out, fearing its spread and the loss of their little city.

  A sharp and angry voice drew both of the Uruwashi around. “You!”

  The gun was in Tristan’s hand before he’d even finished turning. It was in his favor that no one was really paying attention to them.

  Chrysanthe’s thick hair was a mess of tangles, her face pale, eyes lined in red. She was a looking frumpy whereas Silas looked as tall and regal as before hiding behind a hood, but leaving off the glasses for once, sending his bright pink eyes over everything.

  “What are you doing here?” Tristan called over the noise, eyes scanning the faces of the crowd for a familiar one. “Where’s Desmond?”

  The pythia crossed her arms over her chest, looking away. “He’s with his wife.” The comment was backhanded and snide, but she was pouting.

  Wife? Tristan wondered. What wife? “Still waiting to hear why you’re here.”

  “To stop you!” she screamed, fuming, little fists balled at her sides. Behind her, Silas remained a rock, seeing everything. “How could you? There’s not many of our kind left or too full of human blood to do a damn slight good and you went and killed an antediluvian. How could you!”

  Tristan put his hands up to protest but then fell back a step with a surprised yelp when Chrysanthe threw something at him. A ball the size of a ping-pong, glowing a soft blue-green grazed his cheek as it just missed him, splatting softly against the wet pavement. His eyes widened at the prickles of alive energy across his cheek. “What the fu—”

  Mamoru caught him, steadying him upright and then shot past Tristan, leaving him momentarily dazed. Silas was moving for the Japanese man with his sword out. Chrysanthe was muttering under her breath, eyes cast on Tristan with a dark shadow, lips curled in a wicked grimace. A flash of something shiny in Mamoru’s fist caught Tristan’s attention and then he scrambled back, shouting, “Wait!”

  The blast took Tristan’s feet out from under him, leaving him floating in painless, silent disorientation.

  There was a hardness under his back that sent a pulse a fear through him. He’d come to like this before, with the ground hard at his back, blinking up at a night sky. If there were any stars to be seen though, he couldn’t tell, not through the thick haze of peach colored smoke. Fear hit him as he had a temporary spike of panic, thinking he couldn’t breathe. But then he did and it was glorious. The air didn’t taste ashy with the scent of fire, but sweet, like cotton candy.

  “Mmm,” he moaned, a smile coming over him. Cotton candy… I’m at the fair. Yes, the fair, definitely. “Mom? Can I have some money for cotton candy? Promise I won’t ask for anything else.”

  There was no answer and he frowned, opening he eyes and not having remembered shutting them. “Mom?”

  “Tristan!” a voice hissed very nearby and he sat up.

  “Dad?”

  “Tristan,” the voice said again, sounding more dismayed this time. “Get up, we have to find the others.”

  “Others…?” he asked, bewildered as he let the strange Asian dude help him to his feet. “Oh, Gillian. Where’s Gillian and my parents?”

  “Who—no. Kuso.” The man looking him in the eyes was angry, but Tristan could tell it wasn’t at him. “Just where are you?”

  He jerked out of the man’s hold, noticing that the dude was shorter than him. That’s strange, why’s that man shorter? “Um, hello, it’s the fair. Mom promised that if I did good on my report card that I could go with Gillian.”

  “Tristan, how old are you?”

  “Eleven.”

  The man’s eyes widened as he grabbed for Tristan. “Shit!”

  He snickered. “You shouldn’t curse, it’s bad.”

  “Thanks for the tip. Come on.”

  “Hey!” Tristan jerked from Mamoru’s hold only because he’d been allowed to. “You’re a stranger. I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.” He looked proud and confident as he crossed his arms over his chest, glaring. “’Specially strangers who cuss.”

  Mamoru let lose another string of curses
that Tristan recognized despite all being in Japanese. “I’m not a stranger, Tristan. Come on, I need you to snap out of it.”

  “No!” he yelled sounding like the petulant child he thought he was. “I don’t know you and I’m not going anywhere without my mom and dad!”

  Mamoru growled an angry noise and dove into the mist to find his bag, dropped in the confusion. He glanced up, making sure that the others were under the spell along with poor Tristan. Chrysanthe was laying on the ground staring up at the sky with a drunken smile. The elf had dropped his sword and stripped down to just his tight pants, slowly spinning in little circles as he tried to catch invisible butterflies. Tristan stood obediently, albeit a touch belligerent, close by watching it all with acceptance, as if it were all perfectly normal.

  “What the hell is this?” the deeply accented voice hissed as he came on the group.

  Tristan jumped back, eyes wide in wonderment. “Who-oa,” he whispered, “you’re cool! You look like a Viking.”

  Innokentiy shot a confused look to Mamoru, still digging in his bag, and then smiled at Tristan. “Thank you, son,” he answered proudly, even as the juvenile contemplations coming from Tristan worried him. His attention went back to the Japanese man. “What in Valhalla is this? What did you do to him?” he accused, pointing at Tristan.

  “It was a spell bomb packed with a passivity spell. I didn’t know it was going to affect him too. It shouldn’t have.”

  Innokentiy looked out over the crowd. All around them people were calm, their minds lost in their own personal idea of heaven. He started when he saw the half-naked elf chasing imaginary things. “A passivity spell does this? I’ve never seen such a thing in my life.”

  “It’s different for everyone but that one was formulated to ignore vampires so I don’t succumb to my own deterrent. It shouldn’t have hit Tristan like this or I wouldn’t have thrown it. Damn.” Mamoru made a little noise of discovery and pulled a small vial from his bag and rushed over to where Tristan stood, pantomiming riding a roller coaster. “Drink this.”