“I understand.”
We headed out into the streets. As the sun disappeared below the horizon, the sky on the other side of the dome lit up with amber and ruby colors. The lovely sunset faded, the sky turning dark. The Rift storms churned overhead. Suddenly, a sharp flare sparked, catapulting into the barrier.
I gasped.
Baran and I both stopped and watched in horror as the dome cracked a little. A moment later, a bolt of blue, sliver, and gold light streamed upward and spread across the fissure, repairing it almost instantly.
“Emine,” Baran whispered.
I narrowed my eyes as I watched Emine’s magical light heal the wound in the dome. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me, but the flare had seemed to come from inside the dome, not from the other side. Perhaps it was so bright that the illusion had tricked my eyes.
“The flare…did you notice anything odd about it?” I asked Baran.
“Odd how?”
“It was so bright. It almost seemed to come from within the dome.”
Baran laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. The magical light moves quickly. It can fool the eye.”
Annoyed with Baran, and the fact that he was no doubt right, I set my sights once more on the bazaar. With my mind so distracted by the dome and the storm raging overhead, I was caught by surprise when my senses felt something ominous nearby. It was not yet dark, but the vampires were already out.
“Do you feel that?” I asked Baran.
“Feel what?”
In the name of Umay, why had Emine permitted Baran and the Order of Tengri any power? They were no more witch than the humans.
“The vampires. They are already roaming,” I said.
Baran paused. “You are mistaken. I sense nothing. Let’s go.”
I stared at him. Was he really so inept. Surely not. And if not, why was he brushing me off.
Glaring angrily, Baran moved swiftly toward the entrance of the Dark Bazaar. I could feel his frustration and anger whirling around him. As we approached the stone archway at the entrance, I noticed two vampires lingering outside. Their silvery eyes sparkled in the night.
Moving quickly, they came toward us, their teeth bared.
“Fools,” Baran said. With the flick of the wrist, he sent them both hurdling backward.
Moving quickly, the vampires rose to their feet and raced into the bazaar.
“Well, that’s one way to announce we’ve come in peace,” I said.
Baran sneered. “They forget their place.”
“They forget the law. I didn’t know they had a place.”
“Do not make the same mistake as the elders before the Rift. Vampires are not to be trusted. They and their dragon king, as some call Erlik, are abominations. Remember, our kind may be born of human or witch. Vampires are born of death and blood. They feed on the living. They are cursed creatures.”
“Born in these times, we are all cursed creatures.”
Baran harrumphed but said no more.
I took a deep breath as we entered the bazaar.
Once more, I was met by the swirl of cool air carrying the odd mixed scents of limestone, decaying flesh, and spices. The enclosed place gave me the sense of being entombed. Dim lightbulbs twinkled overhead. Once more, I passed the old stalls dating to the days where humans would buy pretty trinkets, plates, rugs, and other goods. Now, such things seemed like useless luxuries.
Baran turned and led me deeper into the bazaar.
In the distance, I heard screaming. A wind blew from somewhere deeper within. The stench of bodies and the sick smell of blood was carried on the breeze.
Baran studied me out of the corner of his eye.
I kept my face placid, but quickly turned my hand, pulling magic from the ether. I dropped on a mask of confidence before my white pallor revealed the nausea that rocked my stomach.
We passed down the row where humans were shackled to the floor. The poor creatures, covered in filth and dressed in rags, were emaciated. Some looked at us, eyes wide, as we passed. Others seemed to stare through us seeing nothing.
“Criminals,” Baran said. “The vampires call them scabs. They are reserved for the lesser of their kind.”
I looked over one very thin man. His brown hair was a disheveled mess. He had a large, bushy beard. On his neck, I saw scars from repeated bites.
Ahead, I heard a woman screech. Her terrorized voice rang through the cavernous halls.
A vampire appeared at the end of the hallway. For a long moment, he stared at us. Then, thinking better of it, he backed away, fangs glimmering in the light.
We turned the corner. There, we found the Dark Bazaar in full force. In this corridor, dim lights and candles illuminated the dark place. Vampires milled about the hall, going from stall to stall, perusing the goods. Seeing so many of them, dozens and dozens all at once, made my blood run cold. And then there was the bazaar itself.
Intermingled among the stalls selling normal edibles, as many Rift-cursed now required human food, were the goods that no human or witch should ever see.
Men and women, shackled by their hands, necks, and feet, stood on display. As did cages of rats, goats, and beasts of burden. Jars full of sticky red liquid, many of which seemed to contain organs, were for sale. I cringed as a vampire stopped to smell a woman’s neck at the stall closest to us. He was about to sample her when he looked up. Upon seeing us, he hissed loudly and stepped back. He tripped over another vampire holding a platter. Both of them went down, the platter falling to the floor. The clay jars shattered to the ground. A mess of bloody pulp poured from them. My gorge rose as I caught the scents of cumin, sage, and mint in the grotesque mixtures.
The entire place stilled.
I leveled my eyes on the hall then gently touched my evil eye pendant with two fingers. The amulet sparked to life.
The vampires nearest me hissed then looked away, wincing.
From the other end of the hall, I saw four figures push through the crowd. Their black clothing swirled around them. The massive size, and the air of importance in their step, told me that Erlik had been alerted to our arrival.
A moment later, the four massive vampires stood in front of us. They were Berkano, the strongest of the vampires, most of whom had been alive before the Rift. Two of the hulking creatures had dark hair, one had shaved his head to a dark shadow, and the fourth was fair. Their eyes were dark, almost black. I felt their power emanating from them. I glanced over their forms. Each was muscularly built. Their handsome faces, broad shoulders, and mere presence evoked a feeling that surprised me. These dangerous creatures incited lusty thoughts that were at odds with my purpose. I quickly got myself in check.
“Please, Priestess,” the vampire with the shaved head said gently. He smiled at me, the expression softening his chiseled face. “The light hurts our eyes,” he said, touching his chest in mimic of my own hand.
I bowed my head slightly and removed my hand.
“If you please. Come with us,” the fair-haired one said, motioning for us to follow.
Baran nodded.
With two vampires walking ahead of us and two behind us, I could not determine if we were being escorted or detained.
We made our way to the end of the row.
As we walked, I kept my gaze straight ahead of me. I would not gawk. As much as I wanted to look, to gauge their numbers, to search the faces of the humans for the woman whose child I’d saved, I did not. A picture of stern authority, I moved forward, my heart hard. As much as I hated to admit it, Baran was right. The vampires were not like us. But that did not mean we had to condemn them for their very nature. When Emine was gone, I would be responsible for the stewardship of Nazar. And that meant seeing people for what they were: good, bad, or something in the middle.
We were about to exit the vendors’ row when the sight of one stall caught my attention, breaking my steady gaze. There, a vampire girl sat with a small cart of Turkish delight. I slowed my step.
The bald vampir
e who’d ask me to temper my enchantment followed my gaze. He lifted a hand.
“A moment,” he said to the others.
We stopped.
He went to the girl and whispered something to her. Her gaze went to me, and to my great surprise, she smiled. She was missing a front tooth at the bottom, but on the top row of her teeth were two tiny fangs. Moving quickly, the girl boxed up some Turkish delight which she handed to the vampire who, in turn, handed it to me.
“With our compliments,” the vampire said.
I nodded my head in thanks to the girl then turned to the vampire. “Thank you.”
The vampire bowed. “It is nothing. We owe much to the order that keeps us all safe.” With a nod to his brethren, we moved forward, turning down another row.
This section of the bazaar was significantly darker than the last. Here, only lamps illuminated the space. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I was surprised to see some bars, restaurants, and tea houses were still in operation. The place smelled of smoke, food, and blood. The odd mix of scents made me feel ill. As we moved down the dimly lit alleyway, I looked into the establishments. Vampires sat around tables smoking and eating, often partaking in human food and blood, one after the other. They were so casual about it. Eat a bite of food. Set down the fork. Lift the wrist of the glass-eyed human, bite, and drink. I shuddered.
We turned down another hall and through a set of doors. One of them paused to open a door. Motioning for us to follow, we went inside. The narrow hallway led to a set of stairs that led underground. The stairway was dimly lit, but I could see the walls were covered in beautifully painted Turkish tiles.
We arrived at another set of doors. Outside this door, another Berkano vampire stood guard. He nodded to the four vampires who escorted us then turned and knocked on the door.
“Come,” a voice called.
“Come in, Pelin of the Order of Umay,” a voice whispered in my mind.
Before I could mask my surprise, the vampire pushed the door open. Thank goodness my enchantment hiding my expression was already in place. Otherwise, I’d be standing there with a stricken expression on my face when the door swung open to reveal Erlik, the leader of the Berkano vampires. He shifted some papers across his desk them look up at me.
And in that single moment, I stopped breathing.
Chapter 10
The vampire’s dark eyes met mine. He studied my face then raised an inquisitive eyebrow at me. I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and then let go of the masking enchantment hiding my true features, my wall of calm. Subtle though it was, it was not honest. And in the moment, everything in my soul screamed at me to be honest.
Erlik smirked knowingly.
It was curious that he had detected what Baran had not.
In spite of myself, I smiled.
Erlik turned his attention to Baran, who had entered the room brusquely. His stance bespoke his frustration. He had woven a clumsy charm around himself to make himself appear larger, more imposing. I hoped my enchantment had not seemed as silly.
I eyed the room.
It was not what I had been expecting.
In my mind, I had envisioned Erlik on a throne of bones, the room lit with torches, nubile vampiresses in various stages of undress lying in wait, waiting to be tasted…in many ways. My cheeks blushed at the thought of Erlik’s mouth moving along the curve of a woman’s hip, ready to puncture the soft white skin there.
I bit the inside of my lip and forced myself to focus. I glanced around the room at the rows of books that lined the walls. The place looked like a library.
Erlik rose, ran his fingers through his dark hair, and came around the desk to meet us. He was dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt and black pants and wore leather boots. Like the others, his skin was pale. When he moved closer, I realized that his dark eyes were actually deep brown with the richness of the Turkish coffee.
He bowed first to me and then to Baran.
“It has been many years since I have received an envoy from the Order of the Umay,” he said, turning back to me.
Baran opened his mouth to speak, but Erlik lifted his hand. It was unclear to me in that moment if Baran had simply chosen to stop speaking or if the vampire had truly silenced him.
“You forget yourself, warlock,” Erlik said. “I have been alive for a very long time and my manners are, perhaps, a bit antiquated. But no one speaks over a Priestess of Umay.”
I inhaled deeply then said, “Thank you for receiving us. I’m sorry that we came unannounced. I am Pelin, and, I believe, you have met Baran before.”
Erlik nodded. “You are forgiven, Pelin. Though I am surprised your order allowed you to come.”
“Really? And why is that?”
Erlik smirked again. The effect of it was so charming that I couldn’t fight the small smile that crept up on my lips. “Our fragile dome, of course, must need your constant attention. We can’t have all our tools wandering the streets like thinking persons,” he said.
Baran shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.
The vampire leaned against his desk and entwined his fingers in front of him. He studied me for a long moment then turned to Baran. For a brief second, I swore I saw Erlik lift a finger. At that exact moment, Baran spoke again.
“We’ve come to discuss important matters,” Baran said, his words bursting forth.
“Important matters,” Erlik said with a nod then turned to me. “And what are the important matters, Priestess?”
I met his gaze. How could a man’s eyes be so playful? It was like a mystery was bouncing around behind his gaze, waiting to be explored. Looking deeply at him, I tried to form a thought but my words escaped me.
Dammit.
He’d gotten to me. I had forgotten the vampire’s ability to mesmerize. The Rift-cursed vampires I met in the streets had no such skill. But these were Berkano vampires, and Erlik was their king. On to his game, I winked at him, breaking off the enchantment in which he’d try to snare me.
He smirked.
I smiled then said, “The matter is regarding the Rift-cursed vampires. They have begun roaming the streets at dusk and dawn, abducting humans outside curfew, which is against the law. The humans have withdrawn behind their wall out of fear. Your minions are fracturing our fragile peace.”
“And what proof do you have?” he asked. His voice was steady. He was not alarmed, frustrated, or even amused. I envied him his ability to hide his emotions.
“I have seen the abductions myself. Last night, I prevented two of the Rift-cursed from abducting a baby.”
At that, Erlik gave me a hard look. I could feel him judging me, weighing my honesty. He looked behind me to the two other Berkano vampires in the room. I cast a glance over my shoulder. They didn’t say anything to one another, but their eyes spoke volumes. And in that moment, I realized it was not only a glance they were exchanging. The Berkano were rumored to be gifted at telepathy. They were talking to one another.
“Out loud, if you don’t mind,” I said.
Surprised, Erlik looked back at me. He smiled. “Pelin of the Order of Umay is observant. Yes, I have had some reports of problems. My brothers have confirmed your observations. Tell me, how do you know the humans have withdrawn into the safe zone?”
“We’ve spoken to Mehmet the Wise, who is very upset,” Baran said, his voice dripping with self-importance.
Erlik turned to Baran. “You spoke to Mehmet the Wise regarding this matter?”
“I…No, I did not.”
“Who did?”
“Pelin.”
The vampire nodded. “Pelin,” he repeated then looked toward me. “Send my apologies to Mehmet the Wise. I will rein in my children or destroy those who do not obey.”
“Very good,” Baran said.
“Very good,” Erlik repeated. “Murder is fine as long as it’s my people who are being slaughtered to keep the peace. Very good, indeed. Now, may I offer any other assistance?” the vampire asked
.
Baran stiffened. “No, as long as the law is followed, there is nothing more to discuss.”
“Pompous bore. Does he always talk like this?”
I looked at Erlik. I had heard him as clear as day, but when I looked at him, he was already talking once more to Baran.
“Don’t presume to give orders, warlock. I know the law. Unlike you, I was there when it was written,” Erlik told Baran, his voice cold.
Baran frowned.
“Tomorrow at twilight, come to Cağaloğlu Hamam. Alone,” Erlik told me using telepathy.
I glanced at the vampire who flashed me a serious expression.
“Thank you for your time,” I said, bowing my head to him.
“It is always our pleasure to serve the Order of the Umay,” he said, returning the gesture.
The fair-haired vampire behind us opened the door and motioned for us to follow. Once more, two vampires took the lead, Baran and me following, with two vampires behind us.
Lacing my hands behind me, I pulled magic from the dark energy all around us and snapped off a tiny enchantment. Looking back over my shoulder, I sent a delicate shooting star toward the vampire. It darted unnoticed around the Berkano walking behind me and into the room where Erlik stood. The playful enchantment spun around the vampire then burst into a shower of silver light over his head.
Looking up, he watched the shimmering display. And then, he smiled. The silver light illuminated his face and made his dark eyes sparkle. The effect was dazzling. The handsome vampire wore an odd expression on his face. He was impressed. And maybe even delighted. The expression seemed foreign on his features.
“Thank you, Pelin.”
Smiling to myself, I looked away and headed back upstairs. Against all odds, I had charmed the oldest creature in Nazar. The thought that I had done something that pleased him, had maybe even made him happy, sent chills of excitement down my spine.
Chapter 11
Baran said nothing as we walked back to the palace, which was fine with me. He’d worried that I would be a problem at the meeting. It was his blustering that had been a distraction.
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