by Caris Roane
* * *
That night, Kerrick sat at the bar at the Blood and Bite, the music off for the moment, the strobes quiet. Only a few couples moved around on the dance floor pretending the music still played.
He wore flight gear ready for the night’s work. He had shared dinner with Alison then shared her body but before he knew it, he was back to his duties as a Warrior of the Blood.
He’d barely touched his Maker’s. All his brothers had gathered around him but no one had asked the question that burned in the air, all but sending smoke rings to the rafters.
Words weren’t sufficient anyway, so he extended his right arm and turned it over so that the bruising on his wrist was visible.
“Holy shit,” Luken murmured.
“So you did it,” Zacharius cried.
Santiago slapped Kerrick on the shoulder. “Fuck.”
“Yeah,” he responded. He nodded. He tried to think what the hell to say to them. Even now, he knew exactly where Alison was … in the kitchen emptying the dishwasher, and … she was singing.
He sighed.
A ripple of tension passed through the men. Bodies shifted, glasses got plunked down on the bar. Sam moved bottles back and forth, refilling as needed. Fire went down throats.
Still, the warriors didn’t move away from him so he knew he needed to say something to relieve the intense curiosity. He opened his mouth to speak, but words failed. He gestured with a palm up and brows raised. He frowned, he grimaced, he shook his head. He felt compelled to tell them something, but what?
Heaven, however, seemed like too small a word. Rapture fell flat. Extraordinary was … well … just ordinary.
Finally, he said the only thing that made any kind of sense or could explain how complete the experience had been for him. “For the first time in about two hundred years, I slept … for eight hours straight.”
Bodies shifted once more, soft curses broke the air, shoulders fell, and breathing recommenced.
“Sleep,” Thorne murmured. “Well, that would be something.”
“No shit,” Medichi echoed.
“Merde,” Jean-Pierre stated succinctly. “I’d kill for so many hours of sleep all at one time.”
* * *
Two mornings later, just after dawn, after Kerrick had been home from a night of battling for a full twenty minutes, Alison reclined in bed, her fingers caught yet again in his hair. He had made passionate love to her and she was beyond satiated. He had not been patient enough to allow for the entire breh-hedden, but she suspected fulfilling the breadth of the ritual would be saved for special occasions or at the very least when time, urgency, or fatigue wasn’t a factor.
She giggled since he kissed her stomach, ribs, and belly while at the same time talking to their daughter.
He looked up at her. “What about Lucy? We could call her Lucy.”
“Why are you thinking about names when she is still just a ball of replicating cells?”
“Because she’s my ball of replicating cells and of course I’m thinking about names.” He kissed her stomach then bit at one of her ribs, which made her squirm and giggle some more. He kept palming her naked breasts and occasionally shifted position to kiss her deep between her thighs, so she suspected, hoped, he would make love to her again before he fell asleep for the day.
“So what do you think about Lucy?” he pressed again.
Alison smiled. “It’s a thought.” She twisted her fingers a little more through his long warrior hair.
“How can you not like Lucy?”
“Lucy is a perfectly lovely name,” she stated.
“But you aren’t really into it.”
She sighed. For some reason he wanted the matter of his daughter’s name settled right now.
Alison had a different idea entirely, but she felt nervous about bringing it up since she had no idea how he would receive it. She was afraid the name she really wanted for their daughter would open old wounds instead of giving the respect and honor, the legacy, she intended.
He turned back to her stomach and got very close. She thought he meant to kiss her again and prepared to enjoy his lips on her abdomen once more. Instead he addressed the fiery ball of cells.
“Lucy,” he said, deepening his voice in a really wretched imitation of Darth Vader. “I am your father.”
Alison groaned. Her breh was such a ham. A terrible, wonderful, sexy, ascended, vampire ham. Who’d’ve thought?
He kissed her stomach then looked up at her. “So you’re not going for Lucy.”
Since he wouldn’t let the subject go, she said, “Actually, I have another idea.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What’s going on? Your heart rate has increased. Are you worried about telling me?”
She nodded then took the leap. “What if we called our daughter Helena?”
He blinked. His lips parted. “You want our daughter to be named for my second wife?”
She had caused him distress. She could feel it. She reached toward him then cupped his face with both hands. “Let me explain. Helena gave her life to be with you, to ease you. Knowing what you, what all your warrior brothers go through, I’m so grateful to her for being with you those ten years of your life. I would like our daughter to have that kind of heart, that kind of enormous courage.”
He took her hand and kissed her palm, a long lingering kiss. He looked up at her, his emerald eyes shimmering. “You amaze me,” he whispered. So generous traveled from his mind to hers. “Naming our daughter for Helena would honor her, and nothing would please me more. Thank you, Alison. I’m so grateful. So very very grateful.”
Again, he kissed her palm.
She looked down at the warrior head bent over her hand. She loved him with all of her heart, her mind, her soul.
She was his breh.
She would forever be his breh.
* * *
Later, when Kerrick had fallen asleep, Alison left the beautiful warmth of her warrior’s bed, now her bed, picked up her new iPhone, then moved onto the balcony, which overlooked a vast rolling lawn. At the far end, beneath the shade of dozens of trees, enormous mounds of honeysuckle were alive with sparrows flitting everywhere and chattering like mad. Dawn had broken over the Valley of the Sun.
Her heart beat in little irregular bursts as she punched in the number that dialed her sister.
Joy’s melodic voice demanded to know if she was still in Mexico.
Mexico?
Not exactly.
Alison wrapped her arm around her stomach as tears flooded her eyes. She turned slightly to look in the direction of the bed.
Kerrick was on his back, one massive arm, bunched with muscle, thrown over his head, his thick torso bared to the waist. His neck was raw where she had taken him at the vein the day before. She definitely needed more practice but he wasn’t complaining.
“Joy,” she whispered, not wanting to wake him. “I had to call to let you know…”
“What?” Joy breathed, her voice low as well. “Tell me, tell me.”
“I’ve met someone.”
Squeals erupted from the other end of the phone. “And … and you’ve done it? I mean you’ve had sex and it was okay? Nobody got hurt?”
“No one got hurt,” she echoed. “And you were so right. He’s strong, very strong, and he can handle all my weird power and abilities.”
Joy squealed again. Ryan’s muffled voice sounded in the background. “Everything okay?”
“Lissy met a man.”
“That’s good but oh, thank God. I thought the pipe broke in the bathroom again.”
“Hush. Go back to sleep.” Returning to the phone, Joy once more spoke in a quiet voice. “So is he a bodybuilder or what?”
Or what, was the answer.
“Not exactly a bodybuilder.”
Now … now to explain about vampires, wings, and the dimensional world of ascension.
ASCENSION
TERMINOLOGY
ascender n. A mortal human of earth who ha
s moved permanently to the second dimension.
answering the call to ascension n. The mortal human who experiences the hallmarks of the call to ascension will at some point feel compelled to answer the call to ascension, usually by demonstrating significant preternatural power.
ascendiate n. A mortal human who has answered the call to ascension and thereby commences his or her rite of ascension.
ascension n. The act of moving permanently from one dimension to a higher dimension.
ascension ceremony n. Upon the completion of the rite of ascension, the mortal undergoes a ceremony in which loyalty to the laws of Second Society are professed and the attributes of the vampire mantle along with immortality are bestowed.
call to ascension n. A period of time, usually several weeks, in which the mortal human has experienced some or all of, but not limited to, the following: specific dreams about the next dimension, deep yearnings and longings of a soulful and inexplicable nature, visions of and possibly visits to any of the dimensional Borderlands, etc. See Borderlands.
rite of ascension n. A three-day period during which an ascendiate contemplates ascending to the next highest dimension.
the Borderlands pr. n. Those geographic areas that form dimensional borders at both ends of a dimensional pathway. The dimensional pathway is an access point through which travel can take place from one dimension to the next. See Trough.
breh-hedden n. A mate-bonding ritual that can only be experienced by the most powerful warriors and the most powerful preternaturally gifted women. Effects of the breh-hedden can include but are not limited to: specific scent experience, extreme physical/sexual attraction, loss of rational thought, primal sexual drives, inexplicable need to bond, powerful need to experience deep mind-engagement, etc.
cadroen n. (Term from an ancient language.) The name for the hair clasp that holds back the ritual long hair of a Warrior of the Blood.
Central pr. n. The office of the current administration that tracks movement of death vampires in both the second dimension and on Mortal Earth for the purpose of alerting the Warriors of the Blood and the Militia Warriors to illegal activities.
the darkening n. An area of nether-space that can be found during meditations and/or with strong preternatural darkening capabilities. Such abilities enable the ascender to move into nether-space and remain there or to use nether-space in order to be in two places at once.
death vampire n. Any vampire, male or female, who partakes of dying blood automatically becomes a death vampire. Death vampires can have, but are not limited to, the following characteristics: remarkably increased physical strength, an increasingly porcelain complexion true of all ethnicities so that death vampires have a long-term reputation of looking very similar, a faint bluing of the porcelain complexion, increasing beauty of face, the ability to enthrall, the blackening of wings over a period of time. Though death vampires are not gender-specific, most are male.
dimensional worlds n. Eleven thousand years ago the first ascender, Luchianne, made the difficult transition from Mortal Earth to what became known as Second Earth. In the early millennia four more dimensions were discovered, Luchianne always leading the way. Each dimension’s ascenders exhibited expanding preternatural power before ascension. Upper dimensions are generally closed off to the dimension below.
duhuro n. (Term from an ancient language.) A word of respect that in the old language combines the spiritual offices of both servant and master. To call someone duhuro is to offer a profound compliment suggesting great worth.
dying blood n. Blood extracted from a mortal or an ascender at the point of death. This blood is highly addictive in nature. There is no known treatment for anyone who partakes of dying blood. The results of ingesting dying blood include but are not limited to: increased physical, mental, or preternatural power, a sense of extreme euphoria, a deep sense of well-being, a sense of omnipotence and fearlessness, the taking in of the preternatural powers of the host body, etc. If dying blood is not taken on a regular basis, extreme abdominal cramps result without ceasing. Note: Currently there is an antidote not for the addiction to dying blood itself but for the various results of ingesting dying blood. This means that a death vampire who drinks dying blood then partakes of the antidote will not show the usual physical side effects of ingesting dying blood; no whitening or faint bluing of the skin, no beautifying of features, no blackening of the wings, etc.
folding v. Slang for dematerialization, since some believe that one does not actually dematerialize self or objects but rather one “folds space” to move self or objects from one place to another. There is much scientific debate on this subject since at present neither theory can be proved.
grid n. The technology used by Central that allows for the tracking of death vampires primarily at the Borderlands on both Mortal Earth and Second Earth. Death vampires by nature carry a strong, trackable signal, unlike normal vampires. See Central.
Guardian of Ascension pr. n. A prestigious title and rank at present given only to those Warriors of the Blood who also serve to guard powerful ascendiates during their rite of ascension. In millennia past Guardians of Ascension were also those powerful ascenders who offered themselves in unique and powerful service to Second Society.
High Administrator pr. n. The designation given to a leader of a Second Earth Territory.
identified sword n. A sword made by Second Earth metallurgy that has the preternatural capacity to become identified to a single ascender. The identification process involves holding the sword by the grip for several continuous seconds. The identification of a sword to a single ascender means that only that person can touch or hold the sword. If anyone else tries to take possession of the sword, other than the owner, that person will die.
Militia Warrior pr. n. One of hundreds of thousands of warriors who serve Second Earth society as a policing force for the usual civic crimes and as a battling force, in squads only, to fight against the continual depredations of death vampires on both Mortal Earth and Second Earth.
mind-engagement n. The ability to penetrate another mind and experience the thoughts and memories of the other person. The ability to receive another mind and allow that person to experience one’s thoughts and memories. These abilities must be present in order to complete the breh-hedden.
mist n. A preternatural creation designed to confuse the mind and thereby hide things or people. Most mortals and ascenders are unable to see mist. The powerful ascender, however, is capable of seeing mist, which generally appears like an intricate mesh, or a cloud, or a web-like covering.
Mortal Earth pr. n. The name for First Earth or the current modern world known simply as earth.
nether-space n. The unknowable, unmappable regions of space. The space between dimensions is considered nether-space as well as the space found in the darkening.
pretty-boy n. Slang for death vampire, since most death vampires are male.
Seer n. An ascender gifted with the preternatural ability to ride the future streams and report on future events.
Seers Fortress pr. n. Seers have traditionally been gathered into compounds designed to provide a highly peaceful environment, thereby enhancing the Seer’s ability to ride the future streams. The information gathered at a Seers Fortress benefits the local High Administrator. Some believe that the term fortress emerged as a protest against the prison-like conditions the Seers often have to endure.
split-resonance n. Split-resonance is a state of vocal expression, including speech, in which the resonance has been split into two or more resonances. Resonance, when split, has a profound impact on the listener. Split-resonance can be used to enthrall, create emphasis in conversation, express a variety of emotions, and arouse during sex. When used with telepathy, split-resonance can cause severe pain within the mind of the listener.
split-resonance v. To split resonance is to craft any vocal expression, including speech, into several resonances at once. See split-resonance n.
Supreme High Admin
istrator pr. n. The ruler of Second Earth. See High Administrator.
Territory pr. n. For the purpose of governance, Second Earth is divided up into groups of countries called Territories. Because the total population of Second Earth is only one percent of that of Mortal Earth, Territories were established as a simpler means of administering Second Society law. See High Administrator.
Trough pr. n. A slang term for a dimensional pathway. See Borderlands.
Twoling n. Anyone born on Second Earth is a Twoling.
vampire n. The natural state of the ascended human. Every ascender is a vampire. The qualities of being a vampire include but are not limited to: immortality, the use of fangs to take blood, the use of fangs to release potent chemicals, increased physical power, increased preternatural ability, etc. Luchianne created the word vampire upon her ascension to Second Earth to identify in one word the totality of the changes she experienced upon that ascension. From the first, the taking of blood was viewed as an act of reverence and bonding, not as a means of death. The Mortal Earth myths surrounding the word vampire for the most part personify the Second Earth death vampire. See death vampire.
Warriors of the Blood pr. n. An elite fighting unit of usually seven powerful warriors, each with phenomenal preternatural ability and capable of battling several death vampires at any one time.
wings n. All ascenders eventually produce wings from wing-locks. Wing-lock is the term used to describe the apertures on the ascender’s back from which the feathers and attending mesh-like superstructure emerge. Mounting wings involves a hormonal rush that some liken to sexual release. Flight is one of the finest experiences of ascended life. Wings can be held in a variety of positions, including but not limited to: full-mount, close-mount, aggressive-mount, etc. Wings emerge over a period of time from one year to several hundred years. Wings can, but do not always, begin small in the first decade then grow larger in later decades.
