by I. T. Lucas
“Thank you, mistress.” Onidu bowed.
Syssi blinked. Had she imagined it, or had he looked embarrassed by Amanda’s compliment?
She shook her head.
Next, she would be imagining that he blushed. But for that he needed blood circulation. Did the Odus have a circulatory system? They had to have something like that. Their outer covering was biological, so they must have some sort of circulation to keep it from decaying, but it didn’t have to be blood. Maybe nanites?
Whatever they were and however they were put together, Syssi was convinced that the Odus were sentient, and that was probably why Annani refused to let anyone tinker with them. But perhaps they could be put through an X-ray machine?
Except, they might be made from materials that were impenetrable to X-ray. In fact, those materials probably didn’t exist on earth.
As her head started spinning, Syssi stumbled toward the couch, managing to sit down before the vision took over her faculties.
An alien world appeared before her eyes. The sky had a reddish tint to it, and it was dark, but somehow Syssi knew that it wasn’t nighttime.
She was in an airport or rather a spaceport, watching scores of Odus being loaded into what looked like shuttles. The atmosphere was somber, with no one talking or smiling, not the Odus and not their handlers.
But everyone’s eyes were glowing, eliminating the need for artificial illumination. Apparently, this was a dark world, and its inhabitants had adapted their eyesight to its conditions.
Was it the gods' home planet?
Except, the handlers didn’t look like the way she imagined the gods did.
They were all dark-haired and dark-eyed, and their skin wasn’t pale. Everyone was male, except one beautiful woman who stood to the side, observing, her long, colorful robes flapping around her majestic figure as the wind battered at her relentlessly.
No one paid attention to the strong gusts, indicating that it was a common phenomenon.
The way the handlers were sneaking peeks at the woman as if seeking her approval made it clear that she was in charge of the operation.
One of the males detached from the group and approached her, saying something in a harsh-sounding language.
The woman nodded and then smiled, revealing a pair of sharp fangs.
It was then that Syssi realized why the woman and the handlers seemed so familiar to her.
This wasn’t a vision; it was a hallucination. Those people were the Krall that she had invented for one of the Perfect Match virtual reality fantasy scenarios. Except, in her story, the vampire-like Krall were on Earth and not on an alien planet.
“Syssi, wake up! You are scaring the crap out of me!” She heard Amanda’s voice as if it was coming through a tunnel.
“Don’t make me slap you!” Amanda sounded panicky.
Syssi lifted a hand. “Don’t.”
“Oh, thank the merciful Fates.” Amanda sighed in relief. “Did you have a vision?”
Forcing her eyelids to lift, Syssi shook her finger because shaking her head was a no go. “A hallucination.”
Amanda frowned. “What’s the difference? And since when do you hallucinate?”
“I don’t, but this could not have been a vision because what I saw came from my own imagination. It was about a fictional society of vampire-like creatures that I invented for Perfect Match. It was one of the environments for the virtual reality adventures to take place in.”
Amanda’s forehead creased. “Are you sure that you didn’t dream them up or see them in a vision before creating them for Perfect Match?”
“If I dreamt about the Krall people, I don’t remember it. And there was a weird variation in my whatever it was. In the hallucination, the Krall were loading Odus into shuttles. There were no Odus in the one I created for Perfect Match.”
Amanda tapped a finger on her upper lip. “That would make perfect sense for a dream, but not a vision. You had both the vampire-like creatures and the Odus stored in your head, and your mind created a story by combining both. That often happens in dreams. Except, this wasn’t a dream. It looked exactly like the other time when you had a vision.”
Syssi shrugged. “Perhaps I just fainted.”
“It’s possible. We should get Bridget in here.” Amanda pulled her phone out of her pocket.
“Don’t.” Syssi put a hand on her arm. “I feel fine, and I don’t want to make a big fuss about this. We have to finish preparing the house for Yamanu and Mey. When they walk in, I want them to feel like they are starting their honeymoon.”
Amanda smirked. “I saw the bedding you brought. Nice touch.” Pushing up from the couch, she looked down at Syssi. “On one condition. You stay here on the couch and let me and the others finish the work. You might have overtaxed yourself.”
“What happened?” Callie walked in with a bunch of shopping bags.
“Syssi fainted, but she is okay now. Do you need help with those?”
“I got it. I’m going to put everything in the fridge. But after that, I need to borrow both Odus to help me bring stuff from my house. I cooked up a feast.” She dropped the bags on the counter and came over. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look pale.”
Syssi waved her hand dismissively. “Stop fretting about me. I’m fine. Maybe I just need a bite to eat. Amanda and I cut work short today to come to organize this party, and we didn’t have lunch.”
“Say no more.” Callie grinned. “I’m on it.” She turned to Onidu. “Can you come with me to my house? I need your help to carry things.”
He turned to Amanda and looked for her permission.
“Do whatever Callie tells you.”
“Yes, mistress.” He bowed and followed Callie out.
Less than ten minutes later, they returned with loads of trays.
“Are you okay to get up?” Callie asked. “Or should I serve lunch on the coffee table?”
“I’ll get up.” Syssi put her feet down, then waited to see if her head was still spinning.
“Take my hand.” Amanda pulled gently, lifting her up slowly and then wrapping her arm around Syssi’s middle. “Small steps. Nice and easy.”
“I’m okay. You are all fussing too much over a little fainting spell.”
“You are pregnant, darling, so of course we are worried about you.”
At the table, Callie loaded a plate for her and even spread a napkin over her knees. “Eat the spinach. It tastes much better than it looks, and it’s chock-full of iron.”
Rolling her eyes, Syssi picked up the fork and scooped up some of the green mush. “I like spinach, but this looks like green mashed potatoes.”
“You’re not far off,” Callie said. “It’s mashed with lots of butter.”
Syssi tasted it and then scooped up some more. “It’s good.”
She had been so busy and excited about Yamanu coming home with a potential mate that she hadn’t noticed how hungry she was. Even though she was an immortal, as an expecting mother, she should have paid better attention to her health.
“Arwel will have to look for a new place when he comes back,” Callie said.
“Poor guy.” Amanda sighed. “Yamanu, with his mellow nature, was the perfect roommate for him. Where is Arwel going to find another one like him?”
“Ben, Carol’s old roommate, can take him in,” Syssi suggested. “I don’t think Carol is coming back.”
Amanda shrugged. “She might. Maybe in time, my brother will accept Lokan just as he accepted Dalhu and Robert.”
“It’s not about that.” Syssi put her fork down. “For Lokan to move into the village, he has to sever all connections to the island. And that’s not in anyone’s best interests.”
13
Mey
As the jet landed on a small airstrip in the middle of nowhere, Mey wondered how far it was from the village. All she could see was a hangar and the limousine that had been sent to pick them up.
“Welcome home, master Yamanu.” Ovidu’s twin bowed and to
ok the suitcases from Yamanu’s hands. “And you too, mistress Mey.”
“Thank you.” She was surprised he’d been told her name.
The guy, cyborg, whatever he was, looked like the stereotypical jolly butler, but he reminded her of the weird dream she had. “Do they all look the same?” she whispered in Yamanu’s ear.
“More or less, but I can tell them apart easily. When you get to know them, you’ll notice the small differences.”
When the butler opened the back door of the limousine for her and bowed, Mey thanked him again and slid to the other side, making room for Yamanu.
“Are you nervous?” Yamanu asked.
“A little. What’s going to happen once we get there? Are we going to see the boss?”
Yamanu glanced at his watch. “It’s late, so we are probably going straight home.” He grimaced. “I can just imagine the amount of dust that has accumulated since Arwel and I left. And there is nothing in the refrigerator.”
“I could stop at a supermarket, master,” the butler offered, looking at them through the rearview mirror and smiling his fake smile.
Yamanu’s forehead furrowed. “Thank you, but I’m sure Mey is eager to get home. We can get something from the vending machines to tide us over.” He wrapped his arms around Mey’s shoulders. “I think there are a couple of pizzas in the freezer, so we are not going to starve until tomorrow.”
The butler was still looking back at them and grinning like a clown instead of paying attention to the road.
“Is the limo one of those self-driving vehicles? Because I’m still human, and my body is destructible.”
“Do not worry, mistress,” the Odu said. “You are very safe with me behind the wheel.”
“Thank you, but I would appreciate it if you looked at the road and not at us.”
“Yes, mistress. Of course.” He turned around and even pulled up the partition, giving them privacy.
Pretty considerate for a cyborg.
Yamanu shook his head. “The Odus are behaving strangely lately.”
“How so?”
By the time he was done telling her the story of Okidu falling into the water and needing a reboot, the butler had parked the limo in a spacious garage that was full of nearly identical cars.
It seemed as if they were all the same make and model just in different colors and trim finishes.
Mey looked around. “Are we underground? And do clan members get clan-issue cars in addition to clan-issue phones?”
Yamanu chuckled. “You don’t miss much, do you? Yes to both. We are in an underground parking garage, and the village is about a hundred and fifty feet above us.”
“One hell of a hideout you have here.” She followed him outside.
“It’s a great place. We used to live in a high rise in the city, but this is much nicer. I like being surrounded by nature, instead of concrete, glass, and steel.”
As they headed toward the elevators, the butler trotted behind them, carrying both suitcases, and the disconnect between his looks and his strength was disconcerting. The Odu looked to be in his mid-forties, pudgy and short, but he obviously had no trouble with the weight. The stupid smile never left his face, and she didn’t hear him breathe hard. In fact, she didn’t hear him breathe at all, but given Yamanu’s story, the cyborg needed air to function.
When they cleared the pavilion, Mey stopped and took in a deep breath. “Fresh air. I love it.”
Regrettably, it was dark already, and since there were no streetlamps and the sky was overcast, she couldn’t see much. Nevertheless, Yamanu pointed out every building they passed, the café, the playground, the pond, trying to describe what she couldn’t see.
“It’s okay. You can give me a tour tomorrow.”
“I might be busy.”
Mey didn’t like thinking about being left alone in Yamanu’s house while he was gone. She didn’t know anyone yet.
“It’s very quiet in here. Is it always like that?”
“It’s too quiet. Which is suspicious. They might be planning a surprise party for us. Get ready for an ambush.”
“Oh, no.” Mey laughed. “The second one today?”
“I’m glad you’re not freaking out.”
“Why would I?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Meeting a bunch of immortals for the first time, all eager to get to know you.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m eager to get to know them too.”
In her experience, it was best to dive in headfirst and get over the shock of hitting the cold water in one go. Dipping a toe at a time was not her style.
14
Yamanu
As he and Mey neared the house, Yamanu stifled a chuckle. With the shutters down for the night, he hadn’t expected to see lights in the windows, but he had expected to hear the murmur of voices. There were none, which was impressive given the number of people he could sense were hiding inside.
Did they really think they could surprise him? Or was the surprise meant for Mey?
“Get ready,” he whispered in her ear. “There are at least thirty people in the house.”
“How can you tell? It’s dark and quiet.”
“I can sense them, which they are aware of. So, the surprise must be for you.”
She smiled. “I’ll do my best to act surprised. After all the trouble they went to, it would be a shame to disappoint them.”
Smoothing one hand over her red dress, Mey combed her hair with the fingers of the other. “How do I look?”
“Too good.” He grimaced. “I should have insisted that you wear baggy sweats. This dress is way too sexy.”
Mey stopped and turned to him. “I have eyes only for you.” She reached up and kissed him on the lips.
“I’m not worried about your eyes. I’m worried about theirs.”
He and Mey were not mated yet, and her scent didn’t carry even a hint of his, which would make every single guy in the room think that she was up for grabs.
“Is there a reason we are stopping, master?” Okidu asked from behind them.
“No, let’s go inside.”
It occurred to him that the butler must have known about the surprise party and hadn’t said a thing. Had it been his decision?
Probably not. Kian had most likely ordered him to keep quiet.
At the door, Yamanu paused and winked at Mey before depressing the handle. Holding her hand, he crossed the threshold and stopped again. It was dark inside, and no one jumped up, yelling 'surprise'! But he could hear their breathing as well as sense their presence.
Silly people.
Giving Mey’s hand a little squeeze, he closed the door behind them and flicked the light switch on. The first thing he saw was a big banner draped over the opposite wall.
'Welcome home Yamanu and Mey!' it said in bold red letters.
A moment later, the pandemonium erupted, with people spilling in from the back yard through the open sliding door, clapping and shouting 'surprise'!
Amanda led the procession, advancing on Mey with a broad smile on her beautiful face. “I hope we didn’t scare you.” She offered Mey her hand. “I’m Amanda, and I take full blame for this.”
Mey grinned as she shook Amanda’s hand. “Thank you so much for your warm welcome.”
“My pleasure.” Amanda gave her an unabashed once-over. “I love your style.”
“Alena told me that you are fond of Diane von Furstenberg wrap dresses. This is by a different designer, but it’s the same style.”
Kian tapped Amanda’s shoulder. “I think we can leave the fashion talk for later. I’m sure Mey and Yamanu want to be done with the introduction and get to the food.” He offered Mey his hand. “I’m Kian.”
She gaped for a moment and then shook the hand he’d offered. “Neither of you looks like your sister,” she blurted, sounding a bit breathless.
Nice save, Yamanu thought. But that didn’t help with the surge of jealousy coursing through his veins. Mey had promised to have e
yes only for him, but apparently, she also had eyes for Annani’s son.
“We all have different fathers.” Kian turned to Syssi. “Let me introduce my better half. This is my wife, Syssi.”
And so it went, with everyone stepping forward and introducing themselves, the women checking out Mey openly, making comments about how beautiful she was and how stylish, while the few single males checked her out more covertly.
He would have to thank Amanda later for inviting mostly mated couples.
For the most part, Mey treated them with a friendly but uninterested attitude, but then Dalhu approached. She definitely had eyes for him as well.
“And this is my mate, Dalhu.” Amanda wrapped her arm around his waist, making it clear that he belonged to her.
“Are you also Yemenite?” Mey asked as she shook his hand.
“No, what made you think that I was?”
She glanced between the ex-Doomer and Yamanu. “Your name and your height. I thought that you and Yamanu were related.”
He cracked a rare smile. “No relation whatsoever.”
15
Mey
After the last of the guests had left, Mey plopped down on the couch and kicked her shoes off. “Your family is awesome.”
Not only had they arranged a beautiful and warm welcome party for them, they had also cleaned up before leaving. Most of the work had been done by the Odus, but still, she appreciated it.
“They are okay.” Yamanu took one of the few remaining bottles of beer and popped the cap. “I’m glad it’s over.”
Unlike her, he hadn’t seemed to enjoy himself much.
Yamanu had spent most of the evening with his arm wrapped possessively around her waist and glaring at any single male who’d dared to approach her to introduce himself. He’d even glared at the mated ones, including his drop-dead gorgeous boss.
Kian was a god. Or as close as it got for a human or an immortal. He was a little intimidating, but Mey had met plenty of alpha males and knew how to handle them. Rule number one was to show no fear. Weakness only spurred predators on, while a show of strength got their respect.
