Juliet
I woke up in the worst kind of pain, gripping my stomach and curling my legs up to my chest. I heard voices around me, but it was faint and distant.
"Michael?!" I cried.
"Yeah, honey. I'm here."
"Rodrigo had a tunnel from the lab to the house… There are more rooms down there… Fridge in the back… Please help me… It's blue." I croaked out.
He let go of my hand, and I think he disappeared. Someone else replaced him. "Marcus… Is that you?"
He nodded against my hand and pressed his lips on my fingers. "It's almost over; hold on."
It wasn't long before there was a scurry of people next to me. Michael was back. The shot they gave me coursed through my veins, and all my muscles relaxed. Tears rolled down my temples as the pain left my body. "Put me out for a few hours." Another shot, and my brain went quiet. I was thankful for the dreamlike state before the euphoria hit.
***
Someone was still holding my hand. I tried to open my eyes, but all they could do was flicker. I squeezed my fingers in a weak attempt to notify anyone that I was still alive. "Julie!" Marcus pulled me into his arms and held me close. "How long was I out?" I tried to move, but he wouldn't let me go.
"More than two months."
"It feels like I can't move. What's wrong with me?"
"Give yourself some time. Your muscles are tired."
He let me go, and I manifested, biting into the neck they were holding up over me. The blood rebooted my mind, and I immediately felt better and stronger. "Did anyone else get hurt?" I asked when I was done and fell back onto the bed. Marcus wiped my mouth, his eyes droopy and red. "Are you okay?"
"He hasn't left you in two months."
"Is it because I'm pregnant or because you love me?"
They were quiet. I didn't see Louis or Chris. "Help me sit up." I felt my stomach where the fish had bit into me. All I could remember was the pain and crying out for Louis under the water until I couldn't anymore. "Is everyone okay?"
"Yes. No one else got hurt. We did almost drown." Jessy said when no one else spoke.
"Show me." Jessy stepped over and handed me the tube. I swung it through the air. Seeing Marcus so lifeless was awful. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." His voice was slurred.
"Seems like you got what you wanted," I said to Michael. "Probably no chance that I would be pregnant after that. I ran my fingers over my belly. Michael had sat down next to me. "Why is no one saying anything?"
"You are pregnant, Julie…." My eyes shot up to Marcus to see if he would show any emotion about it. "Why are you so sad?"
"I'm not!" He sat down next to me and let his head rest on my leg, his eyes closed. I ran my fingers through his hair. Marcus was sleeping. With wide eyes, I peeked over to Michael. "Like I said. He hasn't left. We moved everyone in here, and he's been working tirelessly to help you."
"Aren't you going to kiss me?"
He stood up and leaned over me, pressing his lips onto mine. "Thank You… I saw how you helped everyone… I'm sorry. I would never want to leave things like that." I whispered onto his lips.
Michaels's arms wrapped around me. "We were so worried… But there is something I have to tell you."
"Before you do, could you put him in that bed and get them to knock him out for a few days."
He smiled and lifted Marcus up. The staff gave him several shots. "I'm only happy that it happened so fast. Now I won't have to wait for two hundred years before I get that dance." Michael started talking.
"Come on out with the news."
"Louis… Chris… Is somewhere in space. Someone stole Beatrice… For her teleportation ability… You won't believe that they saw Raas on that planet you exiled everybody to." Michael was moving around me and picked me up.
"Where are we going?"
"Don't you want to take a shower? You always do when you wake up."
I smiled, holding onto his neck. The staff was following us like I would crumble down into a pile of sand. Jessy was short on their heels. Michael closed the door on them, put me down in a chair, and helped me to undress. He pushed some buttons, and a perfect stream of water washed over me. "You're going to have to take it easy."
I nodded. "Why didn't you think to look at the compound."
"We did. I didn't know about the tunnels. You were storing all your stash there?"
I smiled. "It's kinda all I have. Was scared someone would take it. But have they started replicating it?"
"Yes, in buckets." Michael washed me and swiveled the chair, washing my hair.
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt at all?"
"No. I'm fine. I was just tired after."
"How is your control doing?"
"Better… I'm eating regularly, and with you unconscious… I actually had a two-month break."
I chuckled. "So things are moving too fast for you."
"Yes, way too fast."
"You were always such a human guy." I rolled my eyes for effect. "Wasn't it you that wanted to get married so quickly?" He shut off the water with a smile. He picked me up and put me down on a bench. "Jessy. New clothes."
"Waiting."
Michael put a towel around me and opened the door, taking the clothes. He helped me dry off and hunched down in front of me, drying my hair. I yawned, and skeptical eyes rested on me. "You okay?"
"A little drugged but feeling good… Kiss!"
Michael shook his head. "Why were you not jealous in the club?" He pressed his lips onto mine, picking me up.
"Open, Jessy."
The door slid to the side. All the staff followed us to the bed. When Michael placed me down, the doctors did all sorts of things. The round machine circled the bed. "I was jealous… Didn't you see Chris dancing with Selena? Why do you think I drink the way I do… Or that night… You guys drive me off a cliff. How can I throw a scene every time one of you flirts with another girl… I have to grow up."
"No! No more growing up. I'm sick of this Juliet that is turning into a Marcus."
"Hey, Michael… I'm going to sleep now."
He sat down next to me, swiping his hand to take away the machine. He shooed away the doctors. He lifted my hand and pressed it against his cheek. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Did I say I'm sorry?" I whispered as I drifted off. Michael pressed his lips to my fingers.
***
Louis
Chris and I were traveling to Fahan's planet. We had been there so many times over those last two months that it had become familiar. At first, we sent in scouts who released drones all over the place. Although the Riphaths could help in the beginning stages, the Watcher army was much more adapted to doing surveillance and camouflage. They also did excellent recon work with the En-gannim tech to gather the information needed but had yet to find Beatrice. The planet was open for teleportation, just like Earth and En-gannim. We hoped it wouldn't take them two months to steal the ability but years. If Juliet had been there, we would've found her quickly. Caleb wanted to help, but it was out of the question. Chris was too scared that their red swords would be able to thwart any ability. Caleb was still not secure in controlling his power. The sword that Ira had from their species was on En-gannim. We were running all sorts of tests. Chris and I even found out where they mined the stones used for creating their weapons. If we could get our hands on it… The possibilities were endless.
***
Fahan
I pulled my mate into my arms. Jade was still asleep, and our newborn baby lay next to the bed in a cradle. My mind was far away... Our guards had noticed the vamp tech around the city for a few weeks. They were coming for Beatrice. We were so close to harnessing her ability.
The cave we were in was damp and cold. Our planet was… not ideal. It had no life. It was grey everywhere. Rocky with no plants. Nothing that some of the other worlds could boast of. Beauty. Something to be proud of. It had been generations trying to find another place for us to live. A way out of that hole.
The alarm went off. Softly, I lifted Jade's arm that was draped over my torso. She didn't even stir. The babe was born only a day ago. Our births were painful, and the woman suffered.
Since we found out, she was with child. I had gone mad trying to find a way off the planet. When the vamps landed the first time, I knew my luck had changed. It was a sign that our time was at hand. In the past, when they approached us… they needed something. But then Ahasuerus came himself. We treated them well to hear all they had to offer and wanted. They asked us for help thousands of years ago, but since the last attack, we joined them on Zoreah; their visits were infrequent and only to bring other races to commission us for battles.
We didn't need armor or use it. All I needed to do to get dressed was put on a loincloth and fasten it around my waist. I picked up the baby, snuggling into his neck. I put him back down and picked up my sword. There was no way I was letting Beatrice go.
Our star had just set, and it was dark. I made my way up to the building where she was being held. Our housing was only a series of caves. We slept on cold stones for beds, and it was a tough life. Rough and draining. One I didn't want for my son. I started running, only thinking about losing Beatrice and all my hope. My feet were heavy, stampeding towards my men waiting. We didn't move fast, and I was getting worried that we might miss them. They fell in behind me.
Outside the city, the ground started shaking. Eruptions of rock blew up into the sky around us. We dodged to miss the debris falling heavily while we were running. I didn't know what or who they would be sending in and if we would be met with an army of Riphaths. But I doubted that they would try to come and fight there on our home planet.
By the time the building came into sight, it was completely closed off from the outside. They had blasted the entrance, and whoever was inside… was out of our reach.
"Quickly, we need to clear the rubble before they get her out. Have you found out where they landed?"
"No. It must be a Riphath with a lot of power. It was nowhere close to the city. We have scouts in the whole area."
"Who would have more power than Beatrice?" We were picking up stones and flinging them away. A multitude of men digging. We could hear the screams inside. My men were dying. They weren't fighters. Ahasuerus scientists were also in there. If we lost them, we would be back to where we started.
"Where are the guards that were supposed to patrol the building?"
"They must be under the rubble." His words were not cold, or we found the first body. Our skin made us almost invulnerable. It was our heads that were the weakest part of our bodies. One blow could knock us out. We would have made armor if we had anything on our planet that could function as something to protect us. I couldn't hear anything anymore. My gut churned, thinking the worst. I didn't know what I would do if all my plans came to nothing.
"Focus all your energy on one area so we can dig through quicker." I pointed out a spot at the top of the rubble, getting the rest of the men to form a train to take away the biggest boulders. The last one lifted, and the little light left inside shone through a small opening. We dug harder and broke through the last of the dirt. Sword out, I ventured inside, leading the men behind me. I slid down the debris into the open space. There were a few rooms. I heard them talking and fighting. Silence. I rushed forward. Just one man was standing where Beatrice used to be. Hands up in the air. Human. Or anyone of the three… I growled low in my throat when I saw the emblem around his neck. He was a Vampire. I hit my sword on the stone of the wall to activate the red from the rocks it was made of. "Who are you?"
The man couldn't answer. Almost as soon as I spoke to him, a Ripahth was there, and they were both gone. I lunged forward, but whoever it was disappeared in a second, too quick and trained. There was no point in standing around. We rushed to the other parts of the building. Ahasuerus scientists were huddled in one of the rooms. Alive. My shoulders dropped as I put my sword away. It was only a rescue mission. Two men… How could we let that happen? All the guards were dead. First, trapped in some netting, making it impossible to do anything. Executed in the middle of the eyes by another type of weapon. I hunched down next to one of the men to get a look at the wound. I had never seen anything like it. The usual spear that Riphaths used didn't leave a mark like that.
"Who was in here?" I asked the one scientist.
"A vamp and a Riphath."
"Who is the Riphath that he can teleport that far out?"
"It's Ira's son." The one man said.
I stood up and opened my shoulders. "Ira has a son?"
Ahasuerus couldn't have known the boy was that powerful, or he wouldn't have told us to take Beatrice. We helped the scientists up and started cleaning up the space. "How far did you get?"
"Almost, but we would need more time."
"I will get you Ira's boy. Would that help? If he was stronger and healthier."
All the scientists nodded. "Do not be too glad… They will come for you… Either to kill you… Or take you back."
"We can not go back. You have to help us."
"Come… You can not stay here anymore. It is not safe. We will keep you with us in the city."
It was a problem if they did not retaliate. The vamps held all the cards, and I was sick of it. If it was only them, we needed to fight. We could take them on. Ahasuerus had given a lot of information about what was going on, and we did get Beatrice in the end. There were still vamps on En-gannim that did not like the new queen. All I needed to do was get communication out and start planning.
Nothing else was going to happen that night. I went back to the cave. To see how Jade was doing. She was awake nursing the babe. "We have not even chosen a name," I said, walking in.
"What happened? Is everyone okay?"
"Yes, but they got Beatrice." Jade seemed upset. She was more desperate than anyone to get out of our world. "I will have to go off the planet again." She lifted her head. I pressed my forehead onto hers, holding her neck.
"We could make it work here. Our race has lived here forever, and we had yet to die out." Jade whispered.
"No! We can't move backward. We are so close." I took out the glass plate I had hidden in our cave. Staring down at it, I didn't know what to say. What was most important?
Fahan { I need information about Ira's son }
Arvio { Beatrice is back on En-gannim. What happened? I told you to guard her well }
Fahan { You did not tell us they had someone that could teleport that far }
Arvio { No matter. Ira's son is not the most powerful... There is a human that can do much more. And he would be easier to get on En-gannim. Ira's son stays on Zoreah most of the time. He is well-guarded, and it would almost be impossible to get him }
I could not believe it. A better option and an easier one. Going to Zoreah was difficult for us.
Fahan { We need to meet }
***
Louis
Beatrice was barely holding on. Chris had teleported us to the other side of the planet to be safe. I sent a communication, and Kubra got us back. I carried her into the hospital room, placing her across from Juliet, who was sitting and staring at us with a hundred questions going through her mind. Chris was already there, pulling her into his arms. Her eyes were on me. She was scolding me for taking the risk, for going alone without her. I smirked. Happy that she was okay and out of danger. My eyes drifted to the bed next to her. Marcus was out like a log. Not even dreaming.
"I drugged him."
The doctors were busy with Beatrice. She was weak but would make it. They were going to fix her eyes as well. I pulled Chris off Juliet and laid down next to her on the bed. "Why did you sleep so long? I didn't like it."
She was playing with the emblem around my neck. I wanted to take it off and put it back around hers, but she stopped me. "Not while I'm pregnant." She whispered.
I sat up and stared down at her. Chris and I smiled at each other. We had bonded in the last two months. He didn't hate me so much anymore. "You are?" I asked content that something had gone right.
"How did you not know?" She asked me.
"We were busy… They must have just found out."
Michael came into the room. "Are you certain?" I asked him.
He nodded. "Found out yesterday."
"You're going to have to take it easy."
She nestled into my chest and laughed. "Everyone seems to think I'm moving too fast… Marcus will take over for me. You don't have to."
She didn't think we wanted to work with her. "Baby… we have other problems."
"If they don't have Beatrice, they will come for someone else." Chris chipped in.
"How would they? Did you double-check that Raas doesn't have one stored away somewhere? Or who helped them get Beatrice in the first place?"
"That planet is clean, and we are trying to find out… But we still haven't found the Werewolves."
"What did Kubra say? Where did they go on that Campaign?"
"We can't find the planet... Ahasuerus had made sure of that. But you can't worry about anything.
"I have to take it easy… Yes, I heard you." I gave her a quick peck on the lips and jumped out of the way. "Louis Du Pont, come here."
"Make me."
Chris quickly got on the bed, taking my place. Juliet was laughing, and it was more than enough. Too many things were going on in my mind to talk about. Marcus, Chris, and I were still concerned about Michael changing in an instant, hurting her, and she was leaving it. When Juliet was out, he was another person. His threat was gone, and he could focus on other things. If Michael had not freaked out, none of it would've happened. If Chris had been there, none of it would have happened. Marcus and I had a lot of the same issues at that moment, and I hoped Chris realized he could not lead a double life. His Riphath attributes were a problem.
***
Kubra
It was late at night. I had been sitting on my patio outside my room, stargazing. En-gannim was my home. I enjoyed it there. Charlene had gone back to school after the incident on Palmyra. We were supposed to have a few days off. But instead, we were thrown into a whirlpool of issues. Every time we were together… All Charlene could talk about was the branding. I didn't understand her motivation for wanting to do it. In the back of my mind… I feared that she didn't really love me. We were both people that kept ourselves busy… With our own things. Went on with our own lives. She didn't trust easily… And although I had been there for her ever since we started our relationship… It didn't seem to set her at ease… Charlene didn't believe in love… How could she want to test it? The realization hit me… That's why she wanted to do it… Because she didn't trust her own emotions… Her own feelings… She needed proof.
My room door opened, and she came in with Miné, holding her hand. I held open my arms, and the little girl readily jumped in. Charlene sat on the chair next to me. "What are you doing out here?"
"Thinking."
"Are you going to tell me about what?"
"No."
She seemed surprised. Miné was busy and interrupting us, so Charlene left the conversation. It happened a lot; during the days, we didn't see each other, and at night, we didn't have any time alone. There was never a time for a serious discussion… I wasn't going to tell her how I felt… Tell her the truth… That I thought I didn't really matter to her. What I wanted or needed… didn't really matter to anyone.
Since no one expected anything from me anymore… I didn't feel I brought any value to this family she was a part of. Juliet had given Jessy all the authority. At that stage, I was drifting. But I suspected we all were moving along one day at a time… Getting used to being in control of our own lives. For the first time in my life, I was at a place where I had to make my own decisions. What was the first thing I did? Pushed myself into hers… So that I had a new purpose. A dream I could pursue, thinking that life was worth living if someone loved you. Wanting her to marry me so that she couldn't break my heart or leave me. Give me a family like any man on En-gannim.
"How is school going?" I asked.
"Fine, I guess."
"What made you decide that medicine was what you wanted to do in life?"
"My parents… They always had high expectations of me. Pushed me to not be blinded by money. To focus on security. Take care of myself."
"You really don't believe that a man can take care of you."
She scoffed. "Men are just big disappointments… Eventually, my parent's marriage had cured me of that stigma. My mother is miserable."
Charlene didn't even think that her words might hurt me. Even if I was there for her every step of the way… She got up and took Mine's hand. "We are going to bed. I have an off day tomorrow. Going to spend some time with Juliet."
I knew better than to start a fight when Miné was with her. And we had never fought. Charlene was testing me. I shook my head and lit a cigarette. I wanted to send Louis another message and ask him what her behavior was code for. I was missing something.