by CK Dawn
Vladimir trained his gun on the king, aiming for the space between his eyes. “You won’t get the chance again, dick!” His finger tightened on the trigger, ready to pull.
“Don’t shoot!” the queen called, then urged her husband. “King Henry!”
The king raised a finger in the air and called to his army. “Enough!” He frantically waved off his guards, and they dropped back again, carrying their leader’s body with them.
Ignoring the tension, Lucienne let her fingers dance on the touch-screen keyboard. “We’ve wasted enough time.”
A streaming video appeared on the screen—clips from war documentaries and violent movies with high-fidelity sound. She turned the screen toward the king and the queen.
“Moving pictures on glass?” the queen asked in puzzlement.
“These are real wars and real deaths on this glass,” Lucienne said.
The king and queen stared at the screen—air strikes, dismembered human bodies piled up, buildings collapsing into ruins. Fire and smoke and bones.
The king turned his ashen face away, not at all shocked by the images, but full of fear that his kingdom, too, would be reduced to ashes. The queen, who had less stomach for blood and gore, doubled over and vomited.
Lucienne glanced at Vladimir with a rueful smile. She was trained to be a shark. “Be a predator, never prey,” Jed often told her. But she was the shark that always worked to make bloodshed the last resort. Vladimir gazed at her with approval before fixing his hard stare on the guards. “Sun Tzu once said, ‘The best victory is to win without fighting, without spilling blood,’” he said.
Lucienne squeezed his hand in appreciation before turning to the king. “We’re the good guys. If the bad guys come, innocent blood will spill on your lovely streets.” She called to the screen, “Miss Wen?”
Ziyi’s animated eyes lined with heavy blue mascara replaced the graphic pictures on the screen. “Yes, Your Majesty,” she greeted. Lucienne almost rolled her eyes. Ziyi must have heard Orlando calling her that in front of the natives.
“Mr. King, Miss Wen is going to employ a Sky Eye to watch you from space. Show Mr. King where he is.”
An image of the king and his queen looking lost on the temple’s marble stairs replaced Ziyi’s glossy red lips on the screen. To highlight the effect, the satellite camera zoomed in and portrayed a close-up of the king’s twitching mustache.
“The glass mirror is going to suck our souls!” the queen cried.
“It has no interest in your souls,” Lucienne said.
Awe-struck, the king looked up at the heavens to find the Sky Eye.
“It sees you, but you can’t see it,” Lucienne talked into the screen. “Thank you, Miss Wen. I can take over from here.” And the screen faded to blackness.
“I must show you one last thing, Mr. King.” Lucienne clicked an icon and brought to life a video of military parades—hundreds of thousands of soldiers marching behind massive tanks. “Imagine all of them swarming Nirvana like millions of locusts,” she sighed.
The king clenched his teeth, his voice choked in fear. “They mustn’t come! The gods built this kingdom for their chosen people. Our ancestors had the land—”
“The bad guys don’t care. They can't be reasoned with. They can't be bargained with. They don’t feel pity, remorse, or fear,” Lucienne interrupted. “But as long as my people are safe in Nirvana, Miss Wen won’t inform the rest of the world of your land.” She straightened her shoulders and looked into the king’s eyes with a piercing gaze. “I advise you to let your people know it’d be a horrible idea to attack us in any way—sneak up on us, ambush us, cut our throats while we sleep, or poison us with food and drink. If we don’t survive, you don’t.”
The king flinched. He exchanged words with his queen in their local tongue. “How long will you stay in my kingdom?” the king asked Lucienne venomously.
“Until we find the sacred token missing from Hell Gate and return it to the gods, so the climate will return to normal.” Lucienne’s keen eyes locked onto the king and queen, trying one more time to read their minds and see if they knew anything about the Eye of Time.
“Whoever committed such an unholy crime shall be punished to death!” the king said.
“Father, Ashburn the Extra is the one who committed such a crime.” Prince Felix stepped forward. “He must have stolen the token—the god’s magic box. So the gods’ light went out.” He gestured at the blacked out town with indignation.
“We’ll catch whoever took the magic box,” Lucienne said. “We must now bid you and your people goodnight. We’ll be back.”
The king and queen looked sullen, and the crowd remained hostile but silent.
Lucienne and Vladimir shared a look. They’d gained the access to Nirvana. Vladimir gestured for the men to withdraw.
BL7 shot into the sky like a black arrow. In a few seconds, it vanished from the sight of the islanders.
Ten
BL7 descended on the Island of Sphinxes.
Lucienne inhaled deeply the night ocean air as she stepped out of the plane.
A formidable-looking man in a black trench coat strode toward her.
“Kian,” she cried, breaking into a run. He enclosed her in his arms. Even in the safety of their own territory, Kian never let his guard down. His cold sapphire eyes on his clean-shaven face stayed alert. They only warmed at the sight of her.
“Welcome home, kid,” he said, kissing the top of her hair.
“Welcome home yourself.” Lucienne laughed, breaking the embrace. “Didn’t you arrive only a few hours before me?” Kian had been tracing the Sealers for three months outside the Sphinxes.
Lucienne knew her enemies wanted Kian dead almost as much as they wanted her. If they got him, they’d surely maim her. “Next time, bring more people with you,” she said in a stern tone. “I mean it!”
“It’s more convenient to travel lightly,” he said.
Orlando stalked toward Kian, and the two men clasped hands.
“At least take this one with you,” Lucienne said. “Like his fish, Orlando doesn’t require a lot of sleep.”
“I sleep. I just do it with one eye open,” Orlando said.
“I prefer you sleep with both eyes open,” Kian said.
“Working on it. One on Lucia and one on my fish,” Orland said.
Vladimir approached them, regarding Kian coolly. “McQuillen,” he acknowledged.
“Blazek,” Kian said flatly.
Both men’s expressions turned neutral.
Lucienne sighed. She recalled someone saying you can’t have two alpha tigers in the same family. But at least they managed to be civil to each other. Three of them shared power in Sphinxes, but she could override their decisions when she had to.
Kian returned his attention to Lucienne. “We’ve smoothed out New York operation.”
“Which means we’ll have to renovate the Illinois station next,” Lucienne said.
“The Red Mansion,” Kian said with a nod. “I’ll be there to prepare for your arrival.” He eyed Vladimir as they all headed toward a high-powered black van with darkly tinted windows. “Blazek can manage to stay behind for once.”
“I go where Lucia goes,” Vladimir said. “She’ll need more protection in the enemies’ oldest stronghold.”
“You’ll only distract her in her home base,” Kian said. “Anyway, it’s purely family business.”
Before the two could get into an argument, Lucienne cut in, “Family business has to wait. I’m returning to Alaska at first light tomorrow. We’re taking three choppers.”
After the van dropped everyone outside the stone castle, Kian drove Lucienne back to her pristine white mansion that stood out atop the cliff above the ocean.
The house sparkled like a diamond in a small forest of flaming red maple trees. When they were alone, Lucienne pulled the necklace out from around her neck and opened the locket. “The Eye of Time,” she said, waiting for Kian’s reaction.
&
nbsp; Lucienne watched his eyes rivet on the shining chip lying inertly on the Twilight Water. The apple in his throat bobbed up and down as he said in a proud, choked voice, “The prophetic dream you had ten years ago came true today, Siren.”
Lucienne’s eyes moistened.
“Trouble is,” she said, “what I harvested is merely a shell of what the Eye of Time should be. Someone else got to it first and initiated it and then left it behind.”
“The Eye of Time is the ladder to the unlimited sky. With every step, you’re moving closer to the stars,” Kian said softly. “And you have it in your possession. That’s what matters.”
Lucienne nodded.
“One step at a time, Lucia. I couldn’t be any prouder. As for that someone—”
“We’ll take back what he’s taken from us.”
“Look at that thing. I still can’t believe it is the Eye of Time.” Kian’s eyes shone softly. “After a million years, it fell into our hands.”
“I only wish Jed was here to see it.”
“I do, too, kid.”
Together, Kian and Lucienne gazed at the Eye of Time that reflected the lust red maple leaves overhead for a very long time.
Eleven
Inside Laboratory SX1 in Sphinxes, scientists and technicians linked testing equipment to three beta computers. Lucienne unchained the charm from her necklace and pushed a pin on the side of the locket. The Eye of Time rose half an inch above the translucent substance. Free from the Twilight Water, the Eye glowed with immense power.
Placing it under the microscope, Lucienne peered through the lenses. Numerous wires marked the surface of the Eye. Everyone else looked at the beta computers that streamed the visual she was seeing through the lenses.
“It’s so thin, and yet it comprises the most complicated designs,” a chubby scientist said in awe. “How could millions of wires be engineered into such a tiny chip?”
As he spoke, the wires on the chip started throbbing like veins, shifting, merging, and transforming into a brain.
“It’s communicating,” another scientist called excitedly.
Lucienne watched rows of strange numbers, symbols, and alien characters tumble in succession by the window of the Eye. A strange light brightened her eyes as a sense of knowing surged through her, but at the fringe of great discovery, it slipped off her mind like a fading light at dawn.
“It fired numbers,” Ziyi called.
“Record them,” Lucienne ordered.
Ziyi’s fingers flew over the control panel.
“If we can figure out these astronomical numbers, the human race will make a quantum leap beyond our wildest dreams.” The chubby scientist entered data as he continued monitoring one of the betas, which suddenly beeped an alarm.
“The data has surpassed the capacity of all our quantum betas,” Ziyi said, her dark brown eyes widening. “It’s taking control of the computers!”
“Shut them down!” Vladimir called.
“Not yet,” Lucienne countered, watching the alien characters vanish from the Eye, except for three looping symbols. Just as she began to realize something was wrong, the betas erupted in smoke and electric sparks flew all over the lab.
“Lucia, you must restrain the Eye of Time!” Vladimir said.
Spellbound, Lucienne stared at the symbols flashing out of the Eye, faster and faster, until they became a stream of light.
The lab blacked out.
“It’s telepathy,” Lucienne called out in amazement, oblivious to the guards’ rushing footsteps, the scientists’ whining, and someone, probably Kian, barking orders. She was unable to tear her gaze from the Eye, bathed in magic mint light.
“Lucienne Lam!” Kian growled. “It’s going to destroy the lab!”
“What do you want?” Lucienne whispered to the Eye of Time. “Talk to me. I’m the Siren. I was born to—”
A skeletal bolt of lightning blasted from the Eye, blinding everyone. Kian and Vladimir threw themselves toward Lucienne at the same time; Vladimir—already on his way to break her trance—knocked her to the side, out of the path of the blasted microscope. A lens hurled toward them. The edge of the glass skittered by the side of Vladimir’s left eyebrow, tearing a gash in his old scar. They crashed to the floor, Vladimir shielding her, his hot blood dripping on her face.
“Lucia, are you hurt?” Kian was beside them in a second.
“Vlad is bleeding,” Lucienne touched his eyebrow, shouting, “Medic!”
Vladimir shot up immediately, as did Lucienne.
The locket stayed intact on the blackened microscope. Relieved, Lucienne released the pin and heard the Eye screaming as the Twilight Water sucked it back into its prison.
Military flashlights shone through the smoke that hovered over the equipment and charred desks. Orlando and his soldiers extinguished the remaining fires.
Lucienne turned to Vladimir, her shaking hand on his arm. “Vlad,” she said, “if you were even half a second late—” She stopped. She knew she’d have lost her eye.
“I got you covered.” Vladimir pulled her into his arms. His heart drummed as fast as hers. Blood dripped from the open wound above his eyebrow, but he ignored it. He held a trembling Lucienne tighter, whispering in her ear. “I’ll always have you covered, lásko.” Lásko meant love in Czech.
Kian clasped his hands. “All right, kids,” he grunted. “Split it up. Time to patch up Blazek, if you don’t want him all scarred and ugly.”
Vladimir growled, but Lucienne pulled back from his embrace. “Kian’s right,” she said. “Let’s get you fixed.”
“Me, ugly?” Vladimir glared at Kian. “That could never happen. I’m the best looking man around here.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” Kian stalked away, barking more orders to the men.
Lucienne retrieved a medical kit from a young nurse. “I’ll look after him,” she told the nurse. “You check on anyone else who might be hurt.”
The entire time, Vladimir never took his eyes off Lucienne. She felt her cheeks flaming but pretended not to notice his gaze. She knew he desperately wanted to reignite their smoldering passion now that they had secured the Eye of Time.
Lucienne, however, was more reserved. One of them needed to keep a cool head. The ban on kissing separated them like a deep, cold river. She’d have to be the one to hold back, but for how long? How long before her control slipped again?
High heels clacking, Ziyi joined them, eyeing Vladimir’s forehead. Lucienne was stitching him up with a pen-sized laser, which also sterilized the wound. “There’s no need to rush,” Vladimir said as Lucienne wrapped it up and put an antiseptic bandage on him.
“Enjoy being pampered, prince?” Ziyi asked. “Now you’ll have another nice souvenir to brag about.”
“That was a cruel thing to say, Ziyi,” Lucienne said. Both his scars reminded her how she had wounded him.
“Ziyi just can’t understand the burden of beauty,” Vladimir said, his eyes staying on Lucienne’s face.
Ziyi hissed. “I have standards, and few men can measure up.” Then she turned to Lucienne, showing a small line of redness on her pinkie. “I had a paper cut.”
Vladimir looked incredulous. “You came all the way here to disturb us just to show Lucia a paper cut?”
“Paper cuts hurt.” Lucienne snatched a Band-Aid from the medic kit, peeled the cover, and wrapped it around Ziyi’s pinkie. “Now you’re as good as new.”
“Thanks.” Ziyi flashed Vladimir a gloating smile and handed Lucienne a piece of paper. “I copied the last data before betas went down.”
Lucienne took the paper. Much of it was covered with scratches of combination numbers, alien characters, and a formula. They were beyond valuable. Kian and Vladimir would not let her test the Eye again without some extreme precautions. The rest of the data was unsalvageable. The Eye of Time’s message was clear—it would not cooperate.
Lucienne folded the paper and inserted it in the pocket of her jeans. “Well done, Ziyi.” She
hugged the girl.
“I just can’t disappoint you.” Ziyi beamed. “No matter how hard I try.”
“You’ve failed again to achieve a disappointment,” said Lucienne fondly. “Now go get Dragonfly back online.”
“You got it,” Ziyi said, springing away.
A sudden silence developed between Lucienne and Vladimir. He reached to tuck a lock of stray hair behind her ear. His fingertips casually caressed her skin, sending her a warm, lavish feeling. She tried to hold still and not shiver. The heat had never truly faded between them. It was only repressed. Once the wild fire was reignited, it would burn them and everything in their path to ashes.
Tentatively, Lucienne peeked into Vladimir’s hazel eyes. The fire, full of desire and tenderness, had rekindled in him, but at its core, she spotted vulnerability. Lucienne parted her lips. If she stoked the flames too much, she’d end up incinerated; but if she camped by the fire for too long, it would go out. Either way, she stood a big chance of losing him. She needed to find the path to Eterne now. “You’re good to go, Vladimir.” She put on one of her polite smiles. “Thanks for saving me again.” She turned to check on her lab scientists.
“My pleasure, m’ lady,” Vladimir said.
Lucienne could feel his frustrated gaze, restless and unwavering, searing after her.
Twelve
“Can I go with you to the lost city, please?” Ziyi batted her eyelashes. “I haven’t had a real vacation for the entire year since I’ve followed you to Sphinxes. You don’t want to see your prodigy burn out, do you? You have to let me have some fun.”
Lucienne looked at the pleading girl. She was one head shorter than her even in her stilettos. “Fine. Anything to make you stop batting your lashes.”
Ziyi blinked once more for good measure.
In Hell Gate, as her crew set up tent labs, computers, and other devices to the networks in Sphinxes, Lucienne ordered Vladimir, Cam the giant, and Ziyi to accompany her to town.
Winter had swept over the hidden world overnight, claiming the reign it had been denied for centuries. Its biting wind sent fallen blossoms chasing each other in mockery. Only their lingering fragrance reminded the visitors of Nirvana’s glory days.
