The Dark Bazaar: Division 8 (The Berkano Vampire Collection)

by Melanie Karsak

  “Nice trick,” Nadjla said with a sneer, stepping off the dais toward us. She moved around the lingering flames and heaps of ash nonchalantly, seemingly unfazed by the carnage. “But your magic doesn’t frighten me.”

  “Then you’re more foolish than I thought,” I replied.

  “Smug words, witch. But you’ve done me no harm. I was planning to kill the warlock and his followers anyway. You’ve done me a favor.”

  I shrugged. “I guess no one likes liars, and they always get what’s coming to them.” My eyes went to Aydin. He’d been looking at me, but he turned away.

  Nadjla laughed. “You’re haughty, aren’t you? Typical of your order. But you don’t understand what I’ve done, what I’ve created. It’s taken me years, but I’ve found a way to undo your kind,” she said then turned and stormed away from me. “Crash it all down. Now,” she told Esmeray, the blood witch. “And destroy these two.”

  Moving as if against her will, Esmeray pulled away from Aydin. She lifted her hands to the sky, and with a terrible shriek, let out a bolt of dark magic that ripped across the heavens. The black energy smashed into the barrier, and a moment later, the dome began to rip. The first blasts of Rift magic crashed into Nazar. The ground shook.

  I turned and looked behind me. “Now,” I screamed, then let go of the spell that masked my other sisters.

  There was a gasp in the crowd when the other witches were revealed.

  I rushed to Erlik and his followers. “Cover your eyes. Now! And whatever you do, don’t move.” Reaching out, I wove a barrier around them, shielding them from magic much like the barrier shielded our district.

  I turned to find Erlik staring at me.

  “Close your eyes, my love. This is going to hurt.”

  “Pelin of the Order of Umay,” he said with a smirk, then shielded his gaze.

  Nadjla laughed wildly as bolts of black light erupted from the blood witch’s fingertips, marring the barrier with dark magic.

  “What can you do now, Priestess? I will destroy Nazar, reign over its carcass, and feast on its bones!”

  Meryem stepped forward and touched the evil eye pendant she wore. A bright blue and silver light emanated from her in a shockwave. Rather than directing her magic up to reinforce the barrier, she sent her magic out, searching for all the other amulets, charms, jewels, ornaments, wall hangings, lanterns, paintings…all the other evil eyes that lay sleeping in the ruins of Istanbul. The evil eye charms, the Nazars, were supposed to protect people from harm, protect them against evil and darkness. Tonight, they would do just that.

  Meryem woke the eyes.

  All of them.

  It happened quickly. Blue and white light flashes sparked to life everywhere. It was like watching thousands of lights turning back on all across the ruined city. Good magic, protective magic, sprung to life as Meryem’s spell rippled outward.

  “What is this? What is this magic?” Nadjla screamed as she scanned the horizon.

  I stared up at the barrier. The blood witch’s magic slashed apart the magical seal. Whatever Nadjla had planned to do, it was not working.

  My other sisters joined Meryem, casting spells to wake the charms. As each evil eye sprang to life, the city grew brighter and brighter.

  I stepped away from Erlik, holding the protective barrier around him and his people, then turned my gaze back toward the city. Working quickly, I cast protective shields around the Dark Bazaar, protecting the vampires within from the tremendous magical light that shimmered blindingly. Working hard, I moved beyond the bazaar with my mind’s eye, stretching my senses to the limit, as I sought out the human zone.

  The third eye on the center of my forehead burned. I felt Mehmet and the humans. I felt their fear as magic crashed around them.

  The barrier was falling.

  Working hard, I cast a protective dome over the human zone.

  The city was alive with magical light as one after the other, the magic of the evil eye charms worked. They cast a protective radiance over the human zone. As each of the eyes came to life, the sky grew brighter and brighter. Intense light began to fill the skyline. I squinted as the light became almost blindingly bright.

  My magic stretched, I felt my knees weaken, and my head felt dizzy.

  “Stupid witch, protect us,” Nadjla screamed, grabbing Esmeray by the arm.

  The blood witch, who’d been casting her destructive spell toward the dome, stumbled backward. Her spell was broken.

  Aydin stepped between Nadjla and the girl and shoved the vampiress back. Esmeray collapsed. Nadjla turned on Aydin, fangs gleaming, but stopped suddenly.

  The light from Meryem’s and the others charms became too bright. All of Nazar came to life with blue and silver light. Reaching a crescendo, a massive explosion of light rocked the district.

  And then I heard it.

  All around me, the vampires started shrieking.

  Nadjla took two steps forward then came to a halting stop. She screeched and tried to cover her eyes. The vampiress fell to her knees. Blood trickled from her eyes down her cheeks. She shrieked loudly then fell, convulsing with pain.

  Aydin threw himself over Esmeray, shielding her from the light with his body. I could not see if she was alive or dead.

  Nadjla’s vampires crumpled to the ground, the light burning out their eyes as it had done to Nadjla, blood staining their cheeks. They screeched then went still.

  The light was too bright, but it did not hurt me. Instead, I felt its loving glow. What had caused pain to the vampires had protected me and my sisters. But the heavy magic was taxing us all. I saw Isla sway.

  “Let go,” I called to them. “Meryem, it’s done. Let go!”

  Moving slowly and carefully, each woman pulled her energy back.

  The light from the evil eyes slowly dimmed.

  The city fell into darkness again.

  “Erlik,” I called, rushing to him.

  The vampire turned, uncovering his face, and gathered me into his arms.

  “Pelin, the barrier,” Zeynep called.

  The ground under our feet shook. In the distance, I heard a boom as a building collapsed. Lightning rocked the sky. The Rift storms were inside the barrier and destroying the district.

  “Are you all right?” I whispered, touching Erlik’s face.

  “I’ve fine. Pelin, I’m sorry. I…”

  “It’s all right. I understand.”

  Erlik exhaled deeply then looked beyond me at the carnage. All around us, the vampires who’d followed Nadjla lay dead. And their so-called queen also lay still, her eyes fried pulpy red.

  “My people,” Erlik said, looking back toward the Dark Bazaar.

  “I cast domes of protection over the Dark Bazaar and the human zone. They should both be safe.”

  “Pelin,” Zeynep called again.

  I looked up. A massive tear was ripping open. I turned and looked back at Esmeray. Whatever she was, she was no threat to me. She sat on the dais, her head against Aydin’s chest as she wept tears of blood. The sight both horrified and moved me.

  “Pelin!”

  Magical light cracked as the storms began striking inside the barrier in earnest.

  I gazed up at Erlik. “Now you must protect me.”

  “How?” he whispered, brushing a stray hair away from my face.

  “Love me,” I replied.

  “I already do. Rules and Rift be damned, I do,” he said.

  “Then we will protect Nazar together.”

  I placed my hand over his heart, feeling the magic of love swell up inside me. I let it emanate from me, a massive ball of healing light. “I love you,” I whispered.

  Mimicking my movement, he set his hand on my heart. “I love you too.”

  A blast of energy swept up from around us, whipping like a torrent of wind, and light, and magic. Its magical force was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. It nearly lifted me off my feet. Pink, gold, and silver light swirled around us then erupted toward the broken barr
ier.

  Touching my chin, Erlik leaned in and set a soft kiss on my lips. It was warm, and sweet, and filled with love.

  Healing magic filled the air, washing over us all.

  “Mother Umay, look at that,” Zeynep said behind me.

  “The stars,” Meryem said wistfully.

  I fell into my lover’s kiss, knowing what any wise person already knew. Love heals.

  Chapter 33

  When I finally let go of Erlik, I turned and looked at both the devastation and healing that had come in my wake.

  Above me, the barrier was strong. It didn’t move or buckle. It did not swirl with magic or pucker. It was so clear that upon first glance, you couldn’t even tell it was there. Overhead, I saw the stars and the moon. The Rift storms still raged, locking us inside our district, but for now, we were safe. We were secure.

  I looked at my sisters who smiled happily upward. I knew what was in their hearts. They were free. They would not have to be servants of the dome anymore. They could truly live their lives. Love had freed them.

  Smiling up at Erlik, I touched his cheek. He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead.

  The sound of weeping took my attention away.

  I looked back to see Aydin still sitting on the dais, the blood witch in his arms. I couldn’t tell if she was alive or dead.

  I passed Erlik a knowing look. He nodded to me then let me go.

  Climbing the steps, I moved past Nadjla’s broken body to Aydin. When I drew close, he looked up at me, tears staining his cheeks.

  “Pelin,” he whispered miserably then shook his head. He wiped a bloody tear off Esmeray’s cheek.

  “Aydin, what happened to you? Why are you here?”

  He choked on a sob then said, “She is my sister. Nadjla kidnapped her, turned her into this creature. She was going to kill her unless I did what I was told. I…I did everything I could to save my sister, but she turned her into this. Nadjla mesmerized her, twisted her magic. She used to grow flowers, the roses outside my flat, she was such a gentle thing. Now…”

  “Is she breathing?” I whispered, my heart breaking at the realization of what had transpired. Aydin had been the one sending the magical humans outside the zone at night. The abductions were his fault. But he had done it to save his sister. My stomach wrenched in pain for him. He had betrayed his people, and me, but he’d been motivated by love.

  “I…I’m not sure. She’s one of them now,” he said, flashing a look toward Erlik.

  I turned to Merel, who was gifted in the healing arts, and waved for her to join us.

  She climbed the dais stairs. “Pelin?”

  “We need your help. Is she still…here?” I asked Merel, looking back toward the blood witch.

  Merel knelt down beside us.

  Erlik joined us as well.

  Merel set her hand over Esmeray’s head and closed her eyes. After a moment, she withdrew her hand and looked from Aydin to me.

  “She’s there, but she still carries the vampiric seed. I can do nothing about that. Her spirit is in the borderlands. I think I can help repair her mind, bring her back, but she will never be human again.”

  Aydin wept.

  I looked up at Erlik. “How will it be for her if she lives?”

  “Out of Nadjla’s control, her mind will be her own, but she will have both of our gifts. Her true nature will determine how she uses them. But she must be trained, taught to protect herself so her magic cannot be used against us again. She has great destructive power within her. If she chooses, she could rein chaos on us all.”

  I looked at Aydin. He had lied to me, betrayed me. Now I had to rely on his word or make a terrible choice.

  “Pelin,” Aydin whispered. “She is good. I am the one who made bad choices, did bad things…I did them because I love her. She is my baby sister, the only family I have left. I…” he began then paused, his eyes glancing suspiciously toward Erlik. “I didn’t use you before. I didn’t lie. I did—do—care for you. But I know I betrayed you. I am sorry for it. They used our friendship against me. I didn’t have a choice.”

  “There is always a choice, but I understand,” I said, reading between his words. He had cared for me, but he’d chosen to betray me to try to save his sister.

  “My sister is a sweet, caring girl. She has a gentle soul and nature. She would never harm anyone on purpose.”

  “It is hard for sweet souls to live as we do. Many go mad,” Erlik warned.

  “She is Rift-cursed and a witch. Could she be taught how to survive without taking life?” Merel asked.

  Erlik nodded. “Yes, but it will not be easy, especially not at first.”

  I turned to Aydin.

  “Please heal her,” he whispered looking from me to Merel.

  “Aydin, she cannot live among your people for some time. She’ll have to return with us to the order. I promise you, I will look after her.”

  “She will hardly know what had happened to her, and will likely remember almost nothing,” Erlik said then turned to me. “I can help her learn to adjust to the vampiric spirit within her. She can learn to control her ways.”

  I smiled up at Erlik. It spoke volumes to his character that he had not called for her execution as others may have done.

  “Do you understand?” I asked Aydin.

  He nodded sadly.

  Merel leaned over the girl and began working to revive her.

  I rose and stood with Erlik.

  He entwined his fingers with mine. “You made stars for me once more, Priestess,” he said, looking up at the night’s sky.

  “We made them together,” I whispered, leaning into him.

  He kissed the top of my head, and we stood there staring at the twinkling stars overhead. A crescent moon hung in the sky, a single bright star hanging not far from her top horn. I closed my eyes and sent a silent prayer of thanks to Umay.

  Nazar would survive.

  Epilogue

  The torches flickered as Erlik and I walked with Mehmet down the rampart of the Yedikule Fortress. The elder stopped to look out over the dark waters of the Bosphorus. The wave caps were illuminated by the silver light of the moon.

  “It has been many years since all three of our factions have met together like this,” Mehmet said. “A new day has come for Nazar. And with it, the peace we all seek. How is Esmeray recovering?”

  “It has taken some time for her to regain herself. The gentle girl Aydin described has returned, but she struggles with the vampiric gift. In that, the Berkano have helped to ease her transition.”

  Mehmet nodded his head in appreciation to Erlik. “Ah, that reminds me,” Mehmet said then pulled a small parcel from his pocket and handed it to the vampire. “The walnut trees your people brought in from the outer rim produced a fine crop. A favorite of yours, if I remember correctly.”

  Erlik unwrapped the package. Inside was a small box of baklava. The sweet smell of the pastry with its flaky golden pastry layers, delicious syrup, and walnuts filled the air.

  Erlik chuckled. “My thanks. Despite my nature, I never lost my taste for anything sweet,” he said then smirked at me.

  I raised an eyebrow at Erlik. “So some of the food in the Dark Bazaar was made here in the human zone?”

  Erlik nodded. “Yes, an old arrangement between Mehmet and myself. Vampires are poor farmers but good scavengers. The darkest places and furthest reaches of Nazar are not off limits to us. We’ve supplied the humans with seedlings and seeds over the years.”

  “And we have always shared a portion of the bounty in exchange,” Mehmet said. “And once we learned to apply divine light, as we call it, to our crops, they have been plentiful.”

  “The order did not know what it was missing in its seclusion. I’m sure if we’d known you had good coffee, baklava, and lokum, we would have opened our doors much earlier,” I said.

  At that, Mehmet smiled. “But what is important is that you have opened them now. It was a mistake for my people, those with the ma
gical gift, to avoid learning how to control their magic. It is a mistake we paid dearly for.”

  “Meryem tells me the lessons she has been giving here at Yedikule are coming along well.”

  Mehmet nodded. “We are grateful to your sisters.”

  “Peace between us is something we can all be grateful for,” I said.

  “And to think, the answer was before us all along,” Mehmet said then looked from Erlik to me. “You followed your hearts. Very good. ‘Be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.’”

  Erlik smiled. “The poet, Rumi.”

  Mehmet nodded then looked out across Yedikule. The human inhabitants moved quickly to and fro. Among them, I saw some of the magical families who had disappeared the night of Baran’s rebellion. Taavi and Cain had led them here, and they had sheltered under Mehmet’s watchful care. Now that order was restored, some had chosen to stay, reuniting with their families.

  My eyes drifted to the two Berkano vampires who had accompanied Erlik and me. They stood at the entrance to the fortress waiting for us. I watched as a young human woman approached them, a tray in her hands. The two brooding figures looked at one another, bemused and unsure, when she offered them steaming cups of tea. In the end, they both assented. The girl scampered quickly away, a relieved but victorious expression on her face.

  Be silently drawn.

  What a perfect way to describe coming to love.

  I looked up at Erlik who was staring down at me.

  It was true. Real love can never lead you astray.

  I reached up and touched Erlik’s cheek.

  The vampire took my hand and did what so many had thought dangerous and impossible. He leaned forward and kissed the witch he loved.

  And Nazar’s heart skipped a beat…in joy.

  Thank You

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