A Shade of Vampire 91: A Gate of Light

by Forrest, Bella

  Walking beside him, the Water Hermessi child was a vision in dark blue satin, her gown resembling an upside-down tulip with thin gold straps and elegant bodice embroideries that told stories through their motifs. “Now, don’t be a tease,” she told her husband. “You know Tristan and Unending would’ve come sooner, but their travels often take them so far away.” Looking at me, Eira narrowed her eyes, lips briefly pursed. “You seem… different.”

  “You can tell,” I murmured, fires burning in my cheeks. Yet another sensation for me to grow accustomed to.

  “My sister was dumb enough to put on a meat suit,” Dream said from behind us. From her flat tone, I could almost see Dream rolling her eyes even before I looked back over my shoulder at her. “After the hell she endured on Visio, you’d think she would’ve had enough of physical restraints.”

  I turned around to face her fully. “For the umpteenth time, this is different. It was sanctioned by Death, and I’m in complete control of the situation. I can always choose to leave this body and return to my true self.”

  “Prove it!” Dream shot back, crossing her arms. She smelled of lilies, reminding me of Death and my previous form. It was a fragrance we all carried with us as Reapers. It haunted me, still, like a distant memory.

  “You know she can’t do that. She will lose this body,” Tristan interjected. “It’s not an actual suit that she can just take off and then put back on. It’s not how Anunit’s magic works.”

  “Or any death magic, for that matter,” I grumbled, then gave Taeral and Eira a look. They were clearly stunned, lips parted as if their words had left them altogether. I found it amusing how two beautiful and elegant creatures could look so lost. Once more, I was noticing things I’d considered unworthy of my attention before. Tristan had said it would take some time to ease into it, though he wasn’t sure on the particulars since he’d never had to inhabit a foreign body this way. “I’m truly sorry… A few things have changed since we last saw each other, Your Graces.”

  Taeral raised a hand. “Please, call us by our names. We’re still getting used to the titles.”

  “You’re in a living body,” Eira exclaimed, virtually squealing with joy. “That’s what was different. I couldn’t put my finger on it. How did that happen?”

  “It’s a long and complicated story,” Dream cut in, still irked by this entire circumstance. I’d missed the ethereal look about her. I’d had something similar in my Reaper form, though I had never boasted her long, almost white hair, nor her high cheekbones and full lips. I could certainly see her appeal—she was what her name implied, in a sense: a dream. A wondrous vision. Did I miss my Reaper form? Not yet. I would miss my ability to telepathically communicate with my siblings and with Death, but I would have to make do. “But it ends with me being called away from my beloved brother and a world full of scrumptious dreams to occasionally nip from in order to carry Unending and Tristan to a portal point of their choosing, since my sister here is no longer capable of treading the dimensions like a proper Reaper.”

  The king and queen of the Fire Star exchanged amused glances, but it didn’t diminish their curiosity in the slightest. Tristan and I had expected this from the moment we’d decided to come here, but this fae world was the more discreet choice among our GASP-connected options. Sherus and Nuriya were enjoying their retirement in a glass villa overlooking a volcanic lake about five hundred miles south of the capital. The GASP base was a hundred miles east. This had been the better place, considering we knew few people in the palace who’d have questions about my obvious condition.

  I had promised Death my discretion regarding the whole Biriane issue. I still wondered where the World Crusher had gone and if my maker would find her, but it was no longer my problem. I’d been given a life, and I had no intention of squandering this incredible opportunity.

  “Well, we obviously have a lot to talk about,” Taeral finally spoke, resuming our walk through the palace gardens. I welcomed the respite. Tristan and I had tumbled through such chaotic times that taking a moment here felt like a muscle relaxant. “Will you be joining us for dinner before you head back to The Shade?”

  “Dream mentioned that something happened there recently,” I said. “I was hoping you might bring us up to speed before we return. We were going to have dinner with Tristan’s parents tonight, but if you don’t mind, I would love to taste that spice water recipe you got from the Calliope succubi.”

  “I don’t have many details about The Shade, I’m afraid,” Dream sighed. “And I was told not to get involved with anything GASP-related while on my retreat with Nightmare.”

  Again, the king and queen exchanged glances. This time, it was Eira who replied. “Spiced water this afternoon sounds just fine,” she said. “And yes, there were some events that rattled The Shade in the past week or so. It’s a complicated topic, so we should perhaps get comfortable somewhere…”

  I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had just gripped me by the throat. Every emotion I had experienced in my pure spiritual form had been intense, almost atomic, but what I was dealing with now was something else entirely. More concentrated, perhaps even more acute, like a sharp knife digging through my flesh. It was impossible to ignore.

  “Are you okay?” Tristan asked in a low voice, giving me a worried look.

  “I’m fine, my love. Still adjusting,” I replied with a faint smile, then shifted my focus back to Taeral and Eira. “Shall we go?”

  Dream raised her hands in a defensive gesture. “I’m afraid I can’t join you. Death requested that I immediately return to my mission with Nightmare as soon as the two of you are safe,” she said, nodding at Tristan and me. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “You’re itching to feed on more dreams, huh?”

  “Well, that, too… but remember it’s not something to be concerned about. We’re not hurting anyone,” my sister said, offering an innocent smile. “As you know, we’ve always had excellent control over ourselves, with the exception of when Spirit had us trapped.”

  “I’m not concerned, sister. I trust you. But thank you for bringing us here,” I said, knowing this could be the last time I saw my sister for a while. She and Nightmare had always been separated from the Reaper world, always keeping to themselves and reaching out as little as possible. It just wasn’t in their nature to be… sociable. “I hope we’ll meet again, soon.”

  “Maybe when your first child is born, you’ll grant me the honor of naming him. Or her,” Dream replied. Her words carried genuine fondness, yet they sent shivers down my spine. I had yet to conceive, and I had no idea how that would be or how it would feel. It was nice to see my sister was optimistic about the end result, though.

  Before I could say something in return, Dream vanished, hiding herself from the eyes of mortals. I looked to Tristan for comfort, but I found his brow furrowed as he watched me quietly. He was worried, having said as much prior to setting foot in this place. Everything about me worried him now, because I was made of flesh and therefore vulnerable. I found it endearing, if not even a little amusing, but I did not let him see that. Tristan had every right to be concerned about me, his wife. However, I had faith it would turn out well in the end.

  Taeral and Eira escorted us to one of the gazebos on the west side of the palace gardens. Here, massive magnolias with gold and white blossoms dominated the entire section, enriched by copper leaf bushes and blood red roses. The occasional gold and white marble statue of fire nymph-like creatures jutted from the manicured grass, their slender limbs arched into dance poses and their lips stretched into smiles. One of the palace staff came over with a big glass pitcher filled with spiced rose water, matching crystal cups, and a platter of assorted pastries from the royal kitchen. Unlike Tristan, I wasn’t dependent on blood for nourishment, and I had already fed on a fruit basket upon our arrival. Its memory lingered. Every piece of sweet flesh had made me moan with delight, the flavors mixing on my tongue like nothing I had ever experienced before. I had taste
d bliss in the pulp of a red plum.

  The Fire Fae king and his queen told us everything that had happened in The Shade with the clones and the disappearances of some of The Shade’s young GASP members. My stomach churned as I listened carefully to their account of the events that had unfolded. Thayen, Astra, Jericho, Dafne, and Soph were still missing, as were Viola, Chantal, Voss, and Isabelle. I could only imagine how their parents had to be feeling about the situation.

  “But the Daughters and the witches and a few of your siblings have it under control,” Taeral added. “The Time Master, the Soul Crusher, Kelara, Sidyan, Nethissis, and Seeley and their ghouls are over there, assisting with whatever they can.”

  “I suppose Dream didn’t tell you that,” Eira said.

  I shook my head. “She probably didn’t know. The twins are famously reclusive, even from their First Tenner siblings. It doesn’t matter. We’re in the loop now, and we have a clear understanding of what might have happened there.”

  “Do we, though?” Tristan replied, raising both eyebrows at me.

  I nodded. “Clones attacked The Shade, some people went missing, but there haven’t been any more doppelganger incursions since. No more shimmering portals, either. In theory, it’s safe for us to go there. Realistically, I’m not sure.”

  “You’re worried?” my husband asked.

  “I think I am, yes…” Noticing the wondering looks on Taeral and Eira’s face, I felt the need to add an explanation. “I’m a living creature now. Tristan is now stronger than I am. Fae genes were used to create my body, but I don’t have any supernatural abilities. I suppose I am as close to human as I will ever be, in that sense. Mind you, I can still cast a death magic spell with my scythe, but that doesn’t count as supernatural. Natural and supernatural alike refer to life, whereas my ability is anchored in death. Anyway, these are just technical details. In light of this substantial change, let’s say, we both agreed to not do anything that might put my body in danger unless there isn’t a better option. I was hoping The Shade might be our spot.”

  “It still can be,” Taeral said. “It has been secured, I assure you. We speak to them every few hours, we get messages and updates all the time. I know you must feel a little disappointed, but I can assure you that the island is safe again. They didn’t have the support they have now when the clones first attacked.”

  “You’re right,” I conceded. “I should give The Shade more credit.”

  “It’s only for you two to just kick back and relax for a while, though, right?” Eira wondered. “I know you enjoy your travels a lot, with or without the Reaper accoutrements, let’s say.”

  I exhaled deeply. “At this point, we’re merely looking for a place to live in peace, so that my husband might take his vampire cure…”

  “Oh… you want to have a baby!” Eira gasped.

  “That’s what this was all about, yes,” Tristan chuckled softly, his eyes glowing with love whenever they found me. The spiced rose water tasted like a sweet garden of wonders, only faintly spicy—just enough to make the tip of my tongue tingle with delight. But it was the overall effect on my body that made me suck in a breath. It felt like a rush of bubbling water coursing through my limbs and making my nerve endings melt into something superb, only amplified by my emotions as I explained my family-related urges to Taeral and Eira.

  “You can’t tell us anything about how you came upon a body?” Taeral concluded after a while, putting on a faint half-smile.

  “I’m afraid not. I promised Death. Not even Dream is privy to that information,” I said. “But it’s okay. It’s going to be okay… just like I’m sure The Shade will prevail, as well.” I spoke with genuine confidence, hoping for the best. The universe had brought me so far and into this incredible stage of my existence—it had to mean something. It had to lead somewhere good. Otherwise, what was the point?

  My heart was full of love and positive thoughts. I had pushed every other tendril of darkness away, rejecting anything that might impede the rest of my journey to creating a life with my body and soul.

  “So, The Shade is safe. Like, one hundred percent.” Tristan reiterated, still on edge about returning home upon hearing the news of the clone attacks. I may have influenced him earlier, unwittingly at least.

  “Yes. For the time being, anyway,” Taeral said. “We spoke to Derek and Sofia this morning, and they said nothing was out of the ordinary. No new shimmering portals, the Daughters’ detection system is in place. The kids are still missing, but we’re assuming they’re alive and in another realm. It’s the only scenario that makes sense.”

  “They send updates every six hours,” Eira added. “The next one is bound to come through soon, but it’s likely to contain the same parameters of… normalcy, I guess. In case of an emergency, they know to reach out.”

  Tristan nodded slowly, though he didn’t seem comforted by any of this. “We should go see your parents, at least,” I said, “and give them the news. And we can perhaps go stay with Kalon and Esme for a while, on Visio.”

  “Of all the places, that’s where you see yourself starting our family?” he scoffed, making me laugh lightly. It was a beautiful sensation, one I knew I might never get enough of in this current state.

  “Kalon and Esme are in The Shade, too,” Taeral said. “But you are welcome to return here after you visit them and your parents. The palace is huge. Plenty of room to make our esteemed guests comfortable.”

  “You are too kind,” I replied.

  Tristan let out a heavy sigh, leaning back in his chair. “This isn’t something we can tell my parents over the comms line. Or even Telluris, for that matter.” He was talking about my body, and it filled me with even more love to listen to him speak in such terms. “Esme would never forgive me. She’d hang my ass out to dry.”

  “Then let’s go over there. We’ll have dinner with them,” I replied.

  “But we’ll get out at the first sign of trouble,” Tristan said. “I’ll talk to Derek, make sure someone can keep the portal open for us.”

  “Well, if you wish. But my siblings are there. Reapers. They can zap us away in an instant,” I reminded him. “I really think it will be okay. I’m only mortal, not useless. I can hold my own.”

  I could still cast some death magic, but my knowledge was limited. My Reaper soul allowed me the ability to wield a scythe. Unfortunately, there was very little I remembered—most of it stuff that Tristan had learned from me in the past twenty years. Stuff I remembered teaching him. My history was a blur, but I didn’t mind. I had a life ahead of me to live and so many new things for my soul to absorb.

  “It seems like the sensible thing to do,” Eira politely agreed, stretching an arm around Taeral’s shoulders. “We’ll be here whenever you decide to return, ready to welcome you with arms wide open.”

  It felt nice to be surrounded by such wonderful people wherever we went within the GASP federation. I had never truly paid attention to this aspect before, yet it warmed me up on the inside now. It offered a soft sense of security, like I would never be alone in the world. Having Tristan in my life only made things better, but this overarching sense of a supernatural family made me look forward to every single day of my new existence.

  It would be okay. I could feel it in my bones.

  Unending

  I knew it would take a while for me to truly get the hang of being a living person. I’d never been one before. My soul was a copy of an original that had lived once, long ago, but I was my own consciousness with my own experiences. Taeral and Eira were kind enough to escort us to the portal in a chamber next to their throne room. A lot had changed in this place since they’d ascended to the throne.

  Architecturally speaking, the palace was different. With the help of witches and earth fae, Taeral had shuffled the rooms around, widened the corridors, and heightened the foundation of the palace by about a dozen feet—just enough to add more steps at each entry point with wrought iron railings and gilded décor details. The po
rtal chamber had its walls covered in plaques of red garnet, superbly polished to a crimson sheen that reflected the light from the sconce candles. A bronze chandelier had been hung overhead, its swirling arms with leaves and opening blossoms loaded with small oil bowls, their wicks burning amber.

  There was a quiet reverence about this place. Like moving between realms was a wonder unto itself. And in many ways, it was. For every mortal who didn’t have the witches’ magic or the Reapers’ powers, treading different worlds was a wondrous miracle. Standing before the activated portal, I felt my heart beating faster. I was glad Dream wasn’t here to notice my new body’s reactions. She would’ve poked fun at my mortal weaknesses—I probably would’ve done the same, had our roles been reversed, as I could still remember the old days when all the First Tenners had looked down upon the living. Passengers through life, we’d called them. Temporary creatures, while the rest of us were practically eternal.

  Not anymore. I belonged to the living now.

  “Remember, whenever you two are ready, we’ll welcome you back to the palace,” Taeral said. He clearly meant it, and I was inclined to accept the offer, mainly because I knew they had a summer festival coming soon, an event when the whole of the Fire Star would gather to celebrate the new season. Tristan and I had never managed to stick around during the previous festivities, given our intense travels, but I wanted to just stop, for once, and smell the summer roses.

  “You’ll have a sprawling apartment close to our private quarters, with direct access to the palace gardens via the outer stairs connecting to the balconies,” Eira added, smiling. “It’s just one of the many improvements we’ve made to the building since Tae’s coronation.”