Sami nodded. “Anyone with magic or other abilities.”
Julie nodded sadly. “Oh, I understand. Anyway, yes, you are right. But now, there is a faction of the Ilyium that don’t hate us. They are fighting with the Supes, trying to stop the hatred and senseless killing.”
Ah, now Sami understood about her friend. “Like Isoul.”
Julie tensed up then a moment later, she nodded. “Yes.”
“Are there just regular humans here as well?” Brimstone asked.
“Yes, there are, but they are a minor race and tend to live in towns like the one coming up,” Julie said then she grinned. “There are also the Dracones, the Fallen and many different Shifter and Were groups. Elvren, Svrites, and Candelites or little people. There are the pesky Bitters and in recent years, there has been a growing influx of Night and Daywalkers, along with Faytes. Although I have to say, the Nightwalkers are not a friendly bunch.”
Hellfire and Brimstone had been listening to her with amazed expressions.
“Faytes?” Sami asked.
“Yes, they are Fae and they hail from Fairie,” Julie said.
“Fairie? As in fairies?” Brimstone asked. Sami smirked as Julie nodded. “I thought that was just children’s make-believe. Toto, Tinkerbell shit, not real,” Brimstone said, with wide eyes.
Julie laughed. The first laugh they had heard from her. “Fairie is just another realm.”
Hellfire glanced at Sami. “No wonder you just said lots.” Then she turned to Julie. “Just the Nightwalkers aren’t friendly?”
“Well, a lot of the Ilyium, of course, aren’t friendly but that goes without saying. The Shifters, Weres and most of the Elvren keep to themselves. Although the Elvren I’ve met are generally friendly. They share homes with their tiny cousins, the Candelites. But as far as the Nightwalkers go, my theory is that they are cranky because they can’t go out in the day, whereas the Daywalkers are happy because they can go out in the day. They can also survive off of regular food, making it easier to have a relationship with any other species.”
“Oh,” Brimstone said as he followed once more behind her.
“You don’t have these species in your world?” Julie asked them, with curiosity.
“Ah, that would be a big fat no,” Brimstone said and rolled his eyes.
“No. Earth is a human world. They have no idea of the Supes that inhabit their world,” Sami said.
“He means the humans in our world have no idea they share their world with a lot of really scary creatures who could do them a lot of harm if they wanted,” Hellfire said with a smirk at Sami.
Julie nodded and continued walking. “Oh, I forgot the Seabrings. They started to migrate here too recently.”
“Seabrings? I’ve never heard of them,” Sami said, his brow furrowing as he tried to remember ever hearing of them.
Julie shook her head. “Their females are Sirens and very alluring. It’s hard for males of any other species to resist them. The males are very handsome as well, but don’t seem to have the siren allure that the females do. They are also extremely protective of their females and are taught from birth to revere them, to protect them at all costs,” Julie said as she continued to walk across the crusty snow with the predatory ease of her wolf ancestry.
Sami shoved Brimstone when he noticed him checking out Julie’s ass.
“What the fuck?” Brimstone glared at him.
Sami grinned and shook his head. “Quit being a dick.”
Brimstone snorted, then with a grin he picked up his pace so that he was walking beside Julie instead of behind her. Hellfire grinned at Sami a moment, making his heart warm before she turned away.
“Are all the trees on this planet blue-leafed and needled?” Brimstone asked spying another set of trees not too far away.
Julie frowned at him. “No, of course not, some are pink, purple, orange, red, green, gold, silver …” Then she turned to Sami. “I’ve never paid that much attention, but I think we have trees of every different color, don’t we?”
Sami nodded, remembering the silver and teal forest near his old village. “I believe so.”
Julie nodded and turned back to Brimstone. “Isn’t it like this on your world?”
“Well, most are green, unless they’ve been burnt then they are black, but during fall most do turn yellow and some turn red, gold,” Brimstone grinned as he ticked off the colors of autumn.
This time Hellfire rolled her eyes at him. Sami stifled a snort of laughter because Brimstone was trying so hard to get Julie’s attention.
“Strange place,” Julie said. With a blink, she dismissed him and continued to walk. Brimstone gaped at her. Sami grinned again.
“At least, the bark is brown,” Brimstone muttered.
“Not always,” Sami said and chuckled at Brimstone’s expression.
An hour later, they left the snow behind as they made their way down off the mountain. Another hour saw the beginnings of spring and warmth. Pale blue grass grew knee-high and a riot of colorful flowers, buzzing with flying insects and birds, bordered the well-worn dirt road they followed. Julie led them past a towering, shiny black metal capsule-type building with no windows or doors that Sami could see anyway.
“Nightwalkers?” he asked without taking his eyes from the strange looking building.
Julie nodded, not paying the place any attention. It was daytime but even so, Sami glanced up and shivered. The building was at least two-hundred feet tall. He couldn’t imagine living inside something with no windows.
A few minutes later, the blue grass changed to a pale lavender and pink moss as they entered a small town with a sign proclaiming it as Seldom. Beside it, in smaller letters was the word Seen. Population: Depends.
Sami chuckled as Hellfire rolled her eyes.
On the right side of the road stretched two rows of small mud and green brick homes facing each other, while on the left side of the track were two rows of massive bright red-barked trees that reminded Sami of California’s Sequoia trees somewhat. The trunk of each of these trees, however, looked to have a circumference of at least fifty feet.
“Are those …?” Brimstone motioned in the direction of two doors, one about two-feet tall, and the other regular sized set into each tree.
“Yes,” Julie answered and glanced up. “The population constantly changes in town, but it’s believed there are about four-hundred humans. Some of which are Druids. Two-hundred Elvren, the same number of Candelites, and no one knows how many Bitters. They all followed her gaze up to see houses built in the thick branches of the trees.
“The Elvren and the Candelites live up there, in the trees?” Brimstone asked.
“They do. The Elvren live up there, and the Candelites live down below, and the humans across the road.”
“Wow, I feel like I’ve stepped into LOTR land,” Brimstone said to Sami.
Sami chuckled, thinking about the famous Tolkien movies.
“Sprites, you mentioned them earlier, what are they? Where do they live?” Hellfire asked.
Without breaking her stride, Julie corrected her. “Svrites. No one knows exactly where they live or very much about them at all, other than they can be a problem if they attach themselves to you. They’re only a few inches tall and you won’t see them unless they want you too. The Bitters on the other hand multiply like crazy, and they live there.” She pointed at the ground between the trees. Unsure what she was indicating, it took all of them a few seconds to realize she meant the gopher holes in the ground.
Chapter Fourteen
Pesky Boggers
SAMI SMILED AS ONE of the Bitters popped its head up. “I remember them.”
“Aw, it’s cute,” Brimstone said with a grin and Sami snorted. It looked like a cross between a very tiny raccoon and a monkey.
Julie shook her head. “Don’t let it fool you. They are not cute. Pesky boggers.”
Turning away, she led them down past the rows of homes. Motion in the corner of his eye had Sami glan
cing back. An angry looking, three-inch tall ... he narrowed his eyes to be sure … winged creature was chasing a Bitter. Holy … it was Tinkerbell! The two were darting around and between the trees. The Tinkerbell chittering and hissing at the Bitter as the poor thing tried to get away.
“Is that—” Sami started asking when Julie glanced back.
“Yes, a Svrite.” Then she grinned. “An angry Svrite. The Bitter probably did something, stole something. They’re terrible thieves.”
Sami grinned and turned away, but he remained aware of the two zipping around trees and plant life beside the road parallel to them. They had just left the differing homes behind and entered a forested area. Sami could see shops, a barn, and other buildings up ahead.
“This is all so cool.” Brimstone was saying when something ran out and latched onto his ankle.
“Help,” came a tiny wail.
Brimstone jumped and let out a startled cry. It was the same cute, little Bitter they’d seen earlier. The little brown and white furry creature had a strangle hold on Brimstone’s pant leg, and was hanging on for dear life.
Brimstone yelled as he tried to dislodge the Bitter. They all stopped and stared as a moment later, something began to buzz around his face as well. Brimstone gaped at the miniature two-inch-tall, winged creature fluttering and buzzing around him.
“Holy shit, it’s Tinkerbell!” he said, bug-eyed as he tried to keep track of this second tormenter.
With an angry hiss, the vicious little being swooped in close to Brimstone and slapped him across the cheek. They all blinked in surprise as Brimstone let out a yelp. It seemed, although tiny, the creature packed a punch to rival a full-grown man.
“What is that?” Hellfire asked.
Sami smiled. He and Julie answered at the same time. “That is a Svrite.”
The Svrite dove back and attempted to slap Brimstone again but holding his cheek, Brimstone managed to dodge out of the way. “Tinkerbell is a hag! Do I look a hag?” the Svrite screeched at him.
Sami chuckled while Hellfire began to choke, and then laugh too.
“Ah no, no hag, definitely not a hag,” Brimstone said as the Svrite dipped and dove, trying to get to both him and the Bitter who had started climbing Brim’s leg.
“Of course I’m not. I’m beauty. Tink is the hag, thinks she hot tamale, but she not. Not like me,” she said, her hands waving in the air.
Seemingly shocked, Brimstone stopped moving and stared at her. “Wha … Tinkerbell is real?” he asked.
Sami began to laugh as Julie smirked. They all watched as the Svrite fluttered angrily around in front of them, hissing at both Brimstone and the Bitter.
“Duh, yes she be real, dumbass. Don’t you watch the television?” the Svrite asked, making the rest of them laugh harder. Brimstone shook his head and glared at them.
“I didn’t think you had TV in this realm,” he said accusingly.
Before any of them could say anything, the Svrite hovered close to his face. “Exactly, there’s no television on Tartaria.”
“Then how do you know about TV?” he asked the nasty little creature.
The Svrite let out an aggravated sigh. “Duh! I watch it on Earth.”
Brimstone stared at her with googly eyes. “You do? How?”
“Svrites can traverse the realms with a thought,” she said triumphantly then slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oops. I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone that.” Then with a shrug, she turned her gaze on the Bitter who was now snuggled into Brimstones chest like a cuddly little puppy. “Give to me, it’s mine.” The Svrite licked her lips as she stared at the Bitter.
The Bitter clung to Brimstone and shook its head. “No, she kill me.”
“A little help here?” Brimstone looked at Sami, his sister, and Julie.
“Told you they were pesky.” Julie moved closer. “Come on now, run along,” she said, but the Bitter just shook its head.
“No, me scared.” The Bitter’s voice was childlike, and large fat tears welled up in its eyes.
Brimstone’s hand curled protectively around the little creature and frowned at the Svrite. “Are you going to hurt him?”
At that, the Bitter sank fangs into his thumb. “I is female,” it growled.
“Fuck!” Brimstone yelped and shook his hand, bobbing the Bitter up and down. “I see what you mean.” He glanced at Julie whose eyes sparkled with humor.
The Svrite began to dip and dart around him once again, swooping in to take swipes at the Bitter.
“Stop it,” Brimstone shouted, turning in a circle as he attempted to follow the Svrite.
“Why?” the Svrite asked then darted in again.
“If I give her to you, what are you going to do?” Brimstone asked and the Svrite stopped moving, and hovered in front of his face.
“You give her to me, I make her die,” the definitely not Tinkerbell creature said sweetly while running a finger across her throat, and then pretend washing her hands.
Sami sucked in a breath as Brimstone shook his head again. “How about you don’t make her die? What do you want instead?” he asked as Hellfire stepped up close beside Julie.
“Violent little thing, isn’t it?” she whispered. Julie nodded.
“I demand my property back, for one,” the Svrite said then she moved closer to Brimstone’s hand, and inhaled. The Bitter shrank back. “I want a taste, for two,” the Svrite said looking back up at Brimstone.
They all frowned. She wanted a taste of what?
“You want to taste her?” Brimstone asked with a scowl as he glanced down at the creature in his hand.
“No pretty,” the Svrite said, sounding playful all of a sudden. “You.”
“Me?” Brimstone said, looking horrified.
“Yes, you. Your blood,” she said, pointing at the drop on the pad of his thumb. “Deal?”
Julie sucked in a breath and said no, at the same time that Brimstone glanced at his thumb in surprise. “That’s it? That’s all you want?”
“Don’t do it,” Julie advised shaking her head.
“Why?” Brimstone asked her with a frown.
“Nothing good can come of it, I’m sure,” Julie warned.
With a frown, Brimstone looked back at the Svrite. “That’s it, that’s all you want?” he asked again.
The Svrite shook her head. “No. I told you, I demand my property back. I kill for what is mine.”
“Brimstone,” Julie warned again, but he shrugged.
“What can it hurt?” Then he looked down at the Bitter while Julie muttered something about idiots.
“Deal?” the Svrite asked.
Brimstone nodded. “Yeah, sure. Deal.” Then he held the Bitter up to his face. “Give her back whatever you took.”
“She no hurt me?” Tears welled up in the Bitter’s eyes.
“She won’t hurt you,” Brimstone said then he glanced at the Svrite. “Will you?”
“Why you care?” the Svrite asked, a frown marring her minuscule features.
It was Brimstone’s turn to sigh. “Do I have your word?”
The Svrite nodded. “You give me your blood, I do whatever you want,” she said, and Sami heard Julie suck in a deep breath.
“Brimstone,” she said once again, trying to stop him but Brimstone was no longer listening.
“Hand it over,” he said to the Bitter.
Hesitantly, the creature handed over a miniature white crystal on a small, thin golden chain.
“This is what you want?” Brimstone asked and the Svrite nodded, suddenly happy as she reached out and took it from him. They all watched as the Svrite looped it over her head and let it rest around her neck. Her blue-green eyes began to glow.
“What is that?” Hellfire asked.
The Svrite turned suddenly angry eyes on her. “Not an ounce of your business.”
They watched as Brimstone set the Bitter down and it hurried away, as if afraid that the Svrite would change her mind and come after her again. But the Svrit
e only had eyes for the blood on Brimstone’s thumb.
“So, ah, what is your name?” he asked her.
“Xeata, now I demand my taste,” she said swooping in to land on his palm.
“Pretty demanding, isn’t she?” Sami muttered.
Hellfire nodded in agreement. Brimstone glanced around at all of them, and Julie shook her head. “You should never have made a deal with her,”
At that, Xeata glared at her then she grabbed Brimstone’s thumb in a surprisingly strong grip.
“What are you going to do?” he asked, drawing her attention up to his face.
Xeata licked her lips. “I’ll not hurt you—much,” she said as she licked his blood, and then latched on at the same time that Julie spoke.
“This is a very—”
Brimstone’s eyes grew wide as little needle-sharp teeth sank once more into his thumb. A sensuous thread of magic wove itself around all of them before settling on Brimstone. Hellfire moved towards her brother but Julie held out a hand, stopping her.
“Bad idea,” she finished her initial thought, sounding annoyed.
Brimstone’s eyes grew glassy and he swayed on his feet for a second.
“Brimstone,” Hellfire said sharply, snapping him out of whatever lala land he’d disappeared into. He glanced at them, and blinked. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
Julie rolled her eyes. “Most likely.”
Just then, Xeata let his thumb go, smacked her lips, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “That was really good,” she said as pulses of magic began to roll off her.
They all watched in awe as she took to the air, and as the magic grew, so did she. Then she turned into a beautiful woman with long caramel colored hair and thin gossamer wings.
“That’s interesting. Did you know they could do that?” Hellfire asked and raised questioning eyes at Sami.
Sami shrugged. No idea, he mouthed.
“Me neither,” Julie said, awed as Xeata stopped growing. She was now the same height as Brimstone and suddenly, threw herself at him. “You are yummy.”
Brimstone stood stunned with Xeata in his arms, his mouth opening, and closing like a fish out of water.
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