Charlene
"Are we finally going to have an honest conversation?" I asked Romero.
"I have not lied to you. It is not deceit if I do not give a stranger all the information."
I paused after that last statement. He was right. I had also kept things from him… Out of caution… My eyes roamed over his body… Seeing Romero like that and being in my Vampire form made me forget why I was there at all. My anger drifted away, replaced with need. I slowly walked toward him. He lifted up two hands. "Stop, Charlene." I didn't listen to him. I was on the prowl. He turned away from me and ran to behind the bed. I followed him. As soon as I was on that side of the bed, he jumped over to where we started. "I can not touch you for two more days."
All the lust I felt turned back to murder. A smile crossed his lips. One I hadn't seen before. I was livid, leaping over the bed. He evaded me again. I turned to a Riphath, teleporting after him until I had him in hand. I walked slowly with him in my grasp and pinned him up against the wall. "You will not sleep with me because of some rule. You ignored me for two days because I was bleeding…." He was choking, kicking his feet, and his hands clung to my wrists. "Why are you not fighting me?" I plopped him down on the ground. He coughed a few times. I turned back to human. I needed to run my hands over his chest. Feel his smooth skin under my fingers. My hands closed over his pecs and glided up his chest, rubbing my thumb over his nipple. "You don't want me to leave, but you want me to do everything your way." My hands continued up his neck, and I looked up into his eyes when my fingers felt stubble. "If you do not say anything truthful the next time you speak… I'm leaving."
He broke the rule, caught my waist with two hands, turned me around, and pushed me against the wall… I hungrily welcomed it, holding his desperate eyes on mine. My hands roamed up and down his arms, over his shoulders, and down his sides. He spread my thighs with his knees and pushed up against me. His head tilted, "Don't leave. Please." His lips brushed mine. I didn't pull away or feel guilty. I would've done anything to satisfy that hunger.
There was a knock at the front door. "Romero!?" It was Yazen.
"We are in here, father."
The man rounded the corner, taking in the scene. "Miriam, let me know that there might be trouble. Wanted to make sure you were both okay."
"Not quite," Romero said softly. His breathing labored against my lips.
"She also told me what you had done with your power… Dulling Charlene."
Romero's grip on my waist tightened. His thumb worked into exposed skin.
"You are not allowed to do that again," Yazen said. Romero let me go and lifted off me. "This is not the way, Romero."
"I've just been telling Romero that he needed to start speaking to me, or I was going home."
"Then take her to the dark city. Tell her what she wants to know. It is time to end it."
Romero's jaw flexed. His nose pulled up in disgust. It was so slight that I hardly saw it. If I wasn't standing so close to him, I would never have seen the minor gesture. "Get dressed." He said softly. His eyes darted down to the soft fabric hanging over my breasts. My nightshirt didn't leave much to the imagination, either. Romero struggled but stepped back.
I walked out of the room and left Romero with his father.
***
Romero
It was too soon. My heart would not accept that she would be leaving. Once I told her everything. She would leave. As soon as she had less control and missed her home so much. She would leave. Yes, it was not the way, but the way my heart felt for the first time in five hundred years; how could he blame me?
"Why would you do that?" Yazen asked me.
"How can you ask me that?" I said with the little control I had left.
He sighed heavily, "Hmmm. Go… It is the only way."
I put on my clothes and waited for Charlene at the door. It was going to be a long journey, at least six days, if everything went smoothly. All the things that could happen to us played around with the fear of losing her, not to leaving but dying. Charlene stepped out of the room; she had put on a dark two-piece suit. The long pants hugged her curves and rested around her middle. The small crop top barely covered all it needed to. My eyes drifted up and down her body… Charlene smiled when her eyes rested on my hair. I had tied it up. "Are you ready?"
She nodded, and I held out my hand. It was a test. I desperately wanted her to take it. I did not want to walk for days with her, still angry. Charlene took it, making my heart leap. I pulled her closer, wrapping one hand around her waist. My fingers brushed over her exposed waist, my eyes fixed on the bulging cleavage right under my nose. The way her body responded to me. Charlene felt something. Not dulling her for a few days might have been the right thing to do after all. I smiled, thinking about being chased by a girl… It was also not the way. But it had made me laugh and giddy.
"You… have never mated."
"We mate for life," I whispered.
"I'm not your girl, Romero. You need someone that has the same culture as you. In my world, that isn't how it works."
I did not want to hear it. One of the reasons I had not asked her about her life. I closed the door behind us. It was not random that we met. I would at least try and keep her.
***
We walked the whole night. It would have been too tiring to walk in the day. By dawn, Charlene was exhausted. There wasn't much in the surroundings that would shelter us from the heat of our star. If I could remember correctly, there was a fountain somewhere in the area. She had fallen a bit behind. I waited and pushed her down into the sand when she caught up to me. "Sit." I took a covering out from my bag and threw it over her. "I will be right back."
I searched for some time before I heard the gentle lapping of the water. I climbed the last sand dune. It was there. Green trees and a small pond. I hurried back to Charlene. She was asleep. I picked her up and carried her the rest of the way, placing her down in some shade. I sat beside her and pulled her onto my chest. Again, her instincts took hold. An arm draped over my waist, and her head nestled into me. I kissed the top of her head. "Mmmm." She crooned softly… From there, the journey would only become more strenuous. The terrain would change at every league of the path.
We slept for some time. She stirred first, and I felt her body lifting from mine. I groaned. Too tired to open my eyes. I heard her getting into the water. I rolled onto my arm and looked at her, blinking a few times to wake up and rubbing my eyes. Charlene had taken off her clothes. My breath caught. My body rose in instinct, entirely awake. The water dripped down her back after submerging in the pool. She took handfuls of water and drank. It was not the way… Charlene did not know that. So I left it, not wanting to curb every little thing she did.
I was also thirsty and went to sit down at the edge, filling my container and drinking. She turned around without even flinching. Like being naked in front of another person was the most natural thing in the world. My mouth hung open. A wicked smile played on her mouth. Her arm lifted into the air. She flattened her hand and slapped the water, making a wave of cold hit me in the face. Laughter gurgled up into my throat. I fell back into the sand. It had been a long time since I had laughed.
"Where are we going?"
"I've only made this trip once in my life before. When we come of age… our parents take you and show you the way. It is our temple. Sacred ground."
Both our heads jerked up. I turned my face to listen to the noise we both had heard. Charlene spun around. A raider was looking down from a bank, staring at us atop a beast. It was stomping its foot into the sand. I had manifested immediately. Charlene arched an eyebrow at our manifested side she had not seen before. "What do they want?"
"You."
"Why?"
"Why do you think?"
She manifested. Teleported till she sat on top of the creature behind the raider, snapping his neck. The body fell off, and she grabbed the reins. "Wait for me," I yelled.
"I don't think you can manipulate them into submission."
She held out a paw. The beast stayed in place, prancing a little. I ran towards her, grabbed her hand, and vaulted up behind her. I kicked the thing in its sides. We were stampeding towards the men coming at us.
"Where did you learn to do that."
"Uhmm… Later."
I had caused the reluctance between us. I could have bonded with her. Let her experience all the emotions.
***
Fahan
The cave was empty when I woke up. Jade was not there with Aries. I walked to her sister's place. No one was there either. The city was eerily quiet. I received some stares from the others as I walked out the gates. I went to the only place I thought they could be.
The Riphath was not connected yet. My fist clenched around the hilt of my sword. Dimitrios came walking towards me. His body seemed stiffer than usual. It didn't seem there would be good news after all.
"What happened? How much time passed?"
"It worked. Jade has the mark on her body… But as soon as you did it, the human came through, and we got him."
"What is the problem? Where is Jade? Is she okay?" My gaze darted around the room.
"Avrio and Raas are waiting. Jade is with them."
I didn't understand why they were there at all or why the Riphath was not hooked up yet. Dimitrios wanted to walk out into the passage. "Stop! Tell me what happened before I see Jade."
"The queen of En-gannim came. Used an ability and… Took Aries."
My arm extended. I grabbed Dimitrios by the neck. "Where is my son? Why did you not get him back immediately?" I lifted him into the air.
The man in the cage was watching us with interest.
"They want to exchange, but we can't be certain they will give back Aries…." He croaked out. I squeezed his neck until his eyes closed. Dimitrios fell to the floor. Another soldier was by my side. "Get the troops ready. Ten men. Swords blazing… Has Raas brought armor?"
"He has Fahan."
"Suit up."
I strutted angrily down the corridor into the room. My eyes rested on Jade. I was too angry with her. She had done nothing but sit there…
"Do you have coordinates to their home? I want to be in the same room where Aries is being held."
"We have everything you need. I did my homework properly." Avrio said.
I pushed another glass plate into one of my men's hands. "You do nothing else but communicate with Raas… When we are done, you will bring the babe and me back."
Raas nodded.
Dimitrios came walking into the room, suiting up. The armor was half a suit covering my face and resting on my shoulders. It was lightweight and easy to move in. I tied the straps as we walked to the closest traveling spot and waited for Dimitrios to catch up.
"You are coming out in their medbay. Juliet is there, and the baby is with her." Avrio said. " I do not know who else would be there… The one to look out for is the smallest man in the room. Do not underestimate him. And if you can… Kill her."
"Oh, I plan on making an enemy today. Ready?!" I shouted at my men.
A battle cry came from all of them, and we traveled.
First, we came out in a secret location to get onto the planet and confuse their control center. We had to travel again.
***
Marcus
Since Kubra's warning the previous evening, I had been nervous. Every day, we received communications and sent some. Juliet wasn't happy, but she was leaving it. If she could talk to Michael, she was okay. It was touch and go to maintain her peace of mind. Fahan would wake up at any moment. I made sure that we were all at the hospital with her, waiting to hear what Fahan would do.
We were laughing. Caleb was there playing with the baby. He was cute. Didn't seem to mind being away from his family.
Juliet's eyes were the first to alert me of any trouble. She disappeared. I stood up and peeked over my shoulder. Caleb had also disappeared. There were ten warriors in the room. One of them was frantically grabbing at the air where Caleb had been. He was a beast. Fahan was bigger than I had expected.
In one accord, they came at us. The red glow in the room was daunting. But avoiding sharp edges was all we knew. The only thing that could turn the situation in his favor was that they would threaten her to come out. If they had Louis or me in a compromising position. Shots fired from over my shoulder. The skin and the armor they wore made the bullets ricochet off them. "Stop that," I yelled. Jessy and Louis had gotten Lazy with their guns. "Get out of here… Juliet, so help me if you come out."
She was faster than me, coming in and out, helping to get the helmets off their heads. They didn't know what was happening. Jessy took his shots as she made them vulnerable. Louis and I fought the best we could. All we had was our training, working together, and using whatever there was in the room. Fahan was following her movements. Fear caught me off guard. He would cut her… She would be stuck. The other men weren't allowing us to get anywhere close to him. "Juliet, be careful. He's watching you."
"Yes… I can… see that," She said in intervals, coming in and out. Every time, barely out of reach of a sword.
"Caleb, you better be gone already."
"He is," Louis said. "Left as soon as he saw them."
"Juliet! It will be your opportunity. Go."
"If you leave, I will kill everyone in the room." Fahan bellowed out.
"She's gone," Louis said.
Fahan's growled deep in his throat. He knew there was no point in staying. They retreated and traveled out.
"Jessy, have you figured out who is helping them? It has to end. Juliet, come out."
"She left Marcus," Louis said.
"She what?! Where?"
"Where do you think?"
I picked something up and tossed it against the wall. She would drive me mad.
***
Juliet
I had stood right next to Fahan when they traveled across En-gannim. I didn't recognize the room or the scenery outside. Who was it that was helping him? We traveled again. I needed to see what he would do with Michael. What Fahan was planning next. They had dared to come onto my planet… We could have resolved it with a simple message. Dimitrios had more common sense than him. Had maintained peace for two weeks. I didn't know where to go to find Michael. I had to wait.
Jessy only shot two of them. It was hard to cut the armor's bindings and move around. I was out of breath… We would need to study their bodies to see how we would counter them.
As soon as we landed, Fahan lifted his fist into the sky. The men took off their helmets, waiting for orders. No one was moving or saying anything. He was thinking. He knew I was there, trying to figure out what to do.
If I could get a hold of Michael. I could get him out.
I went to hide behind some rocks. Sent a message to Jade and whoever was on the other side of the glass plate.
Me { Your mate made a mistake. It's time we talked, or you will never see your son again }
I waited.
There were several buildings around the city's outskirts. I had no time to go searching. Jade would be with Michael. The screams came. I followed her cries. Fahan and his men ran. "Amateurs."
Jade went at Fahan as soon as she saw him. "What did you do. We were negotiating… I would have gotten him back. She would have talked to me. You have no idea what you are doing!" She yelled.
I had sown some discord for the couple. I left them to have it out, entering the building. It took some time to find Michael locked up in a cell. I sighed, seeing him like that. My bad luck was rubbing off on him. It raised my hackles even more. It would not be that easy. There were several guards in the room. Everyone was alert and standing at the ready with swords drawn.
I crouched down behind some furniture. Came back and catcalled as softly as I could. Michael closed his eyes and tilted his head heavenwards, growling low in his throat. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Did I not tell you I was okay."
I put my finger on my mouth. "Shhh."
I heard more voices. One I recognized. "Are you sure she is here?" Avrio asked. That little creep was actually still living on En-gannim. We had given him a chance to change his mind. It seemed that he didn't.
"Close off the space… she can't escape if she can't get out," Raas ordered the men.
I rolled my eyes. Raas never liked me. Louis thought he was just working the factories. But he had a little ambition of his own. I blew Michael a kiss and disappeared. I was a little quicker than them. Before they could get their ducks in a row and close off the doors, I was out of the building.
"You better leave, honey." I heard Michael say. I smiled, knowing where he was and that he was still okay. I sent another communication.
Me { Do not hurt him. I'm not beyond killing a child if you do }
I sent another one to Louis.
Me { Avrio and Raas }
Marcus { You better come back }
Me { Five minutes. Wait for me }
I stood at the door outside. Fahan and Jade were still fighting. He was getting worked up. Not liking the way she was talking to him. I knew that look in a man's eye from experience. Jade was about to get her ass handed to her. Fahan struck her across the cheek. So much for true love… She fell into the dirt. He didn't even flinch and walked right past her and me. The guards opened up for him. I wasn't going after him.
I could hear the gates open to the cell. If he was going to take it out on Michael. Fahan would feel my wrath.
He had pulled Michael out by the hair, dragging him and pulling him up on his knees. Fahan drew his sword and held it against his throat. "You better come out. I know you are here."
I wasn't stupid. He wouldn't do anything to him. He had done all that to keep Michael. If he could turn into a Werewolf, he would've been able to see me. I smiled. I had someone that could see me. Someone who could hear me. And Chris, that could touch me.
"Honey… Since the day you were born… I knew how strong you would be. Don't turn back." Michael had to know I was close to breaking point. It was a struggle to leave him there. I was tired of waiting. It had been a long two weeks. My five minutes were almost up, and Marcus's time was also at an end.
"You have to leave… Now!" Michael snarled.
I turned around and did what I was told.