Darkened Days

by C. L. Quinn

  Now the tough part. She had to disengage them from each other so they could flow back into their own bodies. It proved difficult. The spirits did not want to separate. With care, she used her own life force to slip between the twisted tethers and pull them away from each other so gently they let the strands slide and finally moved back where they belonged. Cherise felt her body sigh as her spirit returned successfully, psychically exhausted.

  Since becoming vampire, Cherise’s natural birthright as a connector between species, a functioning empath, had become more powerful and more intense. There were times a merge almost overwhelmed her. This was one of those times.

  The three bodies became alert about the same time. Jacob moved behind Starla to hold her as she shook off the lethargy that resulted from this type of empathic invasion. She moaned and opened her eyes to see him smiling down at her and moved her arms to pull him closer. Dropping her head against his chest, she stayed there for several minutes while her mind became fully alert again.

  Cherise, accustomed to these sessions, came around more quickly, and watched Ahmose as he became aware again and noticed Starla in Jacob’s arms. She could feel the anger roll off him, so she touched him with her hand and sent a calming “impression” to him. He looked at her, smiled, and squeezed her hand lightly in acknowledgement of the aid.

  Cherise scanned those gathered in the large room of Ahmose’s yurt. Jacob, Koen, Henri, and Chione waited for the results of Cherise’s talent.

  She stood, smoothing down her dress and asked for something cold to drink.

  Chione brought her an ice cold wine and stepped back next to her leader to listen to this empath from the other side of the world tell them what she thought was their destiny.

  They were divided by factions, Ahmose and Chione on one side of the seating area, Jacob, Koen and Henri on the other side. Starla had stayed next to Jacob.

  Cherise cleared her throat.

  “Look at you all here. Beautiful faces of good people. There is a design here. A destiny.” She paused. “These souls reached for each other on the spiritual plane. They needed to be together. I couldn’t keep them apart. That is destiny. When something is meant to be, against all odds, that is destiny. These two were meant to be together.”

  An immediate collective gasp of awe and anger went up as Cherise tried to interrupt.

  “No, you must let me finish. These souls were meant to be together, that I cannot dispute. But as parents. Not as lovers.”

  Now the room went silent.

  Koen leaned in eventually. “What? How can that work?”

  Cherise lifted her eyebrows. “You don’t know how babies are made, Koen?”

  “Bullshit!” Jacob yelled, and stepped forward to take Starla into his arms. “Bullshit! No way will I allow this man near Starla!”

  Ahmose looked thunderstruck. He finally spoke.

  “Babies are made on more than a spiritual level.” He looked at Starla. “You see we are meant to be lovers. Please come to me. You have the word of your own clansman that we are to be parents and raise these children.” He pinned Jacob with his eyes. “You need to let her go now. Don’t make me come and take her.”

  Jacob pulled her behind him.

  “This happens over my dead body,” he answered.

  “I don’t see a problem with that.” Ahmose replied.

  “Wait!” Starla screamed and yanked free of Jacob’s embrace.

  “Nobody tells me how to live my life or who I live it with. This was strictly to try to untangle this mess.”

  She turned to Jacob.

  “You. Shut up. No one’s killing anyone here.”

  Then she turned on Ahmose, who stood ready to fight.

  “And you. Mighty king of this nation. Stand down.”

  He hesitated, facing the small vampire with fiery eyes and wild hair.

  “But you know now that…”

  “Just, please, step back. Please, Ahmose.”

  One glance to Jacob, another at Cherise, he gave Starla a slight bow and stepped back.

  “Okay. Cherise,” Starla turned to the small vampire empath. “What the hell was that? Koen assured me you really know this, that you have a real connection beyond our mundane lives. What kind of prognostication is that? What are we supposed to do with this information?”

  Cherise sat down on the huge couch, pulling her legs up under her. She looked up at Chione.

  “This wine is very good, thank you. Everyone. Sit. Listen.”

  Those in the room did as they were asked. Everyone was curious what else the empath would say.

  “This connection that you have. It is real. You cannot refuse to fulfill this destiny. The children you were meant to have would haunt you. I have felt a wave in the air for some time now. Something is happening that is wonderful and must be attended. When Park carried a first blood child, I thought it was because she herself was a new first blood. But then Eillia, barren for a thousand years, found Daniel and became with child right away. Now this. You. An ancient first blood and a new vampire. There is no doubt.”

  She paused and looked from Starla’s dark eyes to Ahmose’s darker ones.

  “You will produce three children. A boy. And then two girls. If you allow. Destiny has chosen this time in history to bring forth children for the new generation. There will be another later this year.”

  She looked at Koen with a smile.

  “Our darling Cairine will not be alone.”

  Koen looked from Starla to Ahmose.

  “This woman knew my granddaughter within three days of conception. She can communicate with them even when they are that young. Because their souls are old. They are waiting to be born. You two must listen.”

  “And what happens if Starla wants to be with me? Do we forget what we feel? I never will,” Jacob said, all the fight gone from him. He just wanted this to be over with and to take his girl home.

  Suddenly, Starla stood. “It’s my choice.”

  She closed her eyes and just sat still for long minutes. When she opened them moments later, she walked over to Ahmose, kissed his cheek and took his hands.

  Koen prepared to grab Jacob, but it wasn’t necessary. Jacob stood still as a stone as Starla touched Ahmose.

  She didn’t take her eyes off him as she spoke.

  “Could everyone please give us some privacy?”

  It took a few moments, but all the people in the room filed out, leaving just the two of them.

  “I meant it when I told you I could fall in love with you. Meant it when I said I wished I could bear your children. But I know my heart. I’m in love with Jacob. Deeply crazy about him. I think you know that. It’s not a surprise, it’s a hard choice. You were right when you said our children would be amazing. But I can’t. I realize how special this is, but I can’t. I love him, Ahmose. You must understand that.”

  He nodded but he couldn’t speak. He’d lost her. He’d lost the children of the moon. Unless he forced her, which was the last thing he wanted to do, he would not see his children born. He turned away, his mind racing on his options. She’d once told him she knew he would never slay Jacob, but a demon idea formed. He had to go from here before he acted against his own nature.

  He thought of Cherise who had confirmed all of his beliefs. He looked at Starla who had destroyed them. And shook his head because he had nothing to say. Then he disappeared in a wave of displaced air.

  Jacob came back just as he left. Starla went immediately to him and buried herself in his arms.

  He held her close, and although he was sorry she was in pain, all he could think of was that this nightmare was finally over and he could take her home and love her.

  Ahmose stormed past a group of people surprised when he didn’t greet them as he always did. He didn’t want to speak to anyone.

  Out on a ridge beyond the village, on a rocky outcropping only a vampire could get to, he sat in the light sprays of the waterfall’s mist to try to accept this awful turn of events. He would neve
r have believed that if he found his Shoazan she would turn him down. That the children waiting inside that small body would never become real.

  He knew he’d gotten too attached to her. Should have kept it clinical. He still could. He could send Jacob away, keep the girl. Once the children were born, he would release her to go be with this Jacob. That’s what he should do. But would he ever be able to let her go after making love to her and seeing his children grow in her womb?

  A voice startled him. He was never startled. No one would follow him here. What the fuck?

  “Ahmose. You don’t know me.”

  He turned to see a blonde vampire with dark red lipstick behind him. The color of old blood. In his current state of mind, it was unacceptable that someone intruded.

  Grabbing her by the throat, he lifted her off the ground.

  “I don’t know you. And considering you’re trespassing in my most sacred private place, I don’t want to. I’d like to throw you over the waterfall. How about that?”

  “Fine.” She strained to speak through her compressed vocal cords. “But you might want to listen to me first. I can solve your problem.”

  For a moment he considered his first choice, then let her down slowly and pushed her back. She was pretty, definitely sexy, and watching him with wary eyes. He knew everyone in the village so she was an outsider. Vampire, but not of his family.

  “What makes you think I have a problem?”

  She laughed with a snort. “Sorry. Uh, yeah. Everyone in the village knows. You’re vying for the affections of a vampire who can bear your children. I know you brought in an empath to help determine who gets this girl. And judging by the fact that you’re here alone looking like someone killed your puppy, she chose Jacob.”

  Now he stared hard at this stranger who knew too much.

  “I think you’d better get the fuck out of here before I follow my first instinct.”

  “Even if I can take Jacob away where she can never find him? You would never be implicated. She would run to you for comfort and you can plant that seed in her before she sees it coming. Uh, so to speak.”

  Rude bitch! He shouldn’t let her get away with talking like that about Starla. But all he could think of right now was that she said she would take Jacob away. Could he let her do this? Were his children important enough?

  Yes, they were. More than anything in his life.

  “What is it you have in mind?”

  Crystal knew she had him. He was hooked. Everyone wanted things to go their own way, especially this big piece of sex on a stick that ruled a village of super-vamps. All she needed was his help securing Jacob. Permanently. Then he’d have his little baby maker and they would all live happily ever after.

  Aw. She liked those fairy tales where the girl gets the boy. With Ahmose’s help, she would get hers.

  “You apologize to her for your attitude. Tell her you wish her and Jacob a good life, let them go. Then, a few days later, I’ll arrange to abduct him, with your help. I need his life force masked, so no one can find him no matter how hard they try. I need a permanent way to detain him. My cabin in Switzerland will be perfect for that. I just need some of your first blood magic.”

  He nodded cautiously.

  That would do. She’d keep him contained in a cell most of the time except when he was frozen. Eventually, he would accept his new life and she knew he’d be happy once they were a couple. He’d forget the little vampire.

  “See, this way, everyone is happy. No one is really hurt. I’ll make sure Jacob is well satisfied. If I can keep him long enough, he’ll forget about her and fall in love with me. I win, he wins. Now, you’ll take the little baby mama in, comfort her, and when she holds that first precious baby in her arms, you know she’ll be happy too. You win, she wins. There’s nothing wrong with this plan.”

  Ahmose couldn’t move. It sounded reasonable. No one would get hurt. Jacob would be fine. He knew Starla would be once she let herself get past Jacob. And she’d already told him she could love him. Could he ally himself with this woman? Was he capable of this type of deception?

  For the sake of his community and his unborn children, he would risk anything.

  He looked back at the blonde. The lipstick was disturbing. Almost obscene. But she was smart. Manipulative, but smart. And she wouldn’t do this if she didn’t love Jacob. She’d be good to him.

  What does it take to make a good man go bad? He wondered this as he turned and nodded to the blonde.

  “Maybe. Tell me more about your own background. I want to know who I’ve gotten into bed with.”

  “Don’t worry. You won’t have any trouble with my pedigree. I’ve lived and worked with a first blood for over a hundred years. I know how to get things done. And I’m very, very good in bed.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Starla cried. How could this work out?

  When Ahmose came back to the village, apologetic, she couldn’t believe it. He explained he was so passionate about the thought of children that he’d been unreasonable. He now accepted that she loved Jacob. And he would do the right thing. She was free to go home with Jacob. While she felt all kinds of guilt, she was thrilled to get her life back.

  And she couldn’t wait to see Eillia. She knew now that she hadn’t abandoned her. That she was with child and couldn’t come to Africa to search for her.

  But mostly, she would be able to be with Jacob. He’d slept in a separate yurt again last night, but tonight they would be together. Just the thought of being in bed with him made her heart race and her face flush.

  Henri had agreed to come with them back to France, too. So, in the end, it had been worth it all.

  Except for the pain she left behind for Ahmose and his people. She didn’t think she would ever be able to forget the children she might have had with him. Her hands dropped to her stomach, sliding across, caressing the area that would never carry a child. In her old life, she’d wanted a family. Just not in the frozen wasteland where she was raised. Now she never would. Unless…

  No. Jacob was her future. She’d never felt a connection with anyone like she felt with him. This coming year would be a time of discovery. How this vampire life fit into hers, and how she fit into his. She had already reconciled with the conversion. Now she just had to learn how to live with it.

  Chione helped her pack. She would take with her a small wardrobe of beautiful dresses handmade for her by seamstresses in this village. Chione had insisted.

  “Mistress, you must take them. It would be an insult to leave them behind.”

  “Oh, I’d love to have them. They’re extraordinary. But I don’t deserve them. Wouldn’t you want to keep them for the next woman that Ahmose might make his queen?”

  Chione shook her head sadly.

  “No, mistress. He does not believe anyone else will come. The empath says you are the one. He believes this with all his heart. I think he still hopes someday you will come back to him.”

  “Ah, no. I don’t know what to say. He is breaking my heart.”

  “You must follow yours, though. If you love this Jacob, then you must be with him. I have never been in love, mistress, but I know this to be true.”

  “I believe so, too. May love find you soon. You are a kind and brilliant, gorgeous girl. I know it waits for you.”

  “Thank you. I think…” She stopped, then started again. “I think I will need to leave the village to find it. Somehow, my spirit knows he is not here.”

  “Follow that path, then, Chione, until it leads you where you need to be.”

  “My name means ‘daughter of the Nile,’ but I have a need to leave this continent. I just can’t tell if I am wrong.”

  “You are not wrong. You have great instincts. If you ever need me, don’t hesitate to call, okay? I’m leaving my cell number.”

  “I appreciate it. And I may indeed seek your help sometime.”

  Starla hesitated, then hugged Chione.

  “Anytime, really. Anytime.”


  Koen watched Ahmose say goodbye to Starla. It was bittersweet. He completely understood Ahmose’s desire to keep her here at any cost. He’d apparently hijacked Park’s mother’s youth, and because of that, her life. He’d told Jacob he wasn’t proud of it. And he wasn’t. But the point in time when the pregnancy occurred was a really strange one in his life.

  In the end, it had all been worth it, though, because Park was spectacular and she’d brought life back into his just as he was ready to seek death forever. Over a thousand years alive, with no real joy in his life, he’d decided he’d had his fair run. It was time to end it. To everything there is a season, he’d thought. God, he was grateful he found her when he did.

  Ahmose turned to him after saying goodbye to Starla.

  “My brother from across the sea, child of the sun, please come anytime to our village. I still would love to see your granddaughter.”

  “You don’t feel it will be too difficult, considering the circumstances?”

  “A first blood child, how can it be anything but joyful? Please. Bring her.”

  “I will. I look forward to it. Ahmose, why are we called children of the sun or moon? As first bloods, are we different? Why have we all been kept separate from each other?”

  “I do not know the reasoning for the separation. What I know is that we were called the Dark Ones and the Light Ones a long time ago in history. Those of us on this side of the world were the Dark Ones who are guided by the power and motion of the moon. Oddly, we are able to be out in full sunlight briefly, which I know you cannot do. Our abilities are different, and I think our philosophies, although it seems many westerners don’t bother with the spiritual at all. We celebrate the spirit and our spirit amulets annually in an elaborate three night party. Lots of drinking and sex. You should come. Ha. Anyway, because those of us on this side of the globe have been called the Dark Ones, and guided by the moon, it stands to reason the Light Ones, your clan, are guided by the sun. These are spirit symbols for how the clans differ. Our power cycles, like the moon. Monthly, it grows and wanes with the fullness of the moon. We are strongest on the full moon. It is when all of our important moments are implemented or celebrated.”