“We have Yahwen’s location from Harper and Ramin. We know where the In-Between’s oldest twenty-planet solar system is,” Sofia said to Derek. “We might as well do this sooner rather than later, babe.”
“I suppose we can start laying some of the groundwork for such a mission, yes,” Derek conceded. “I just don’t like the idea of Ben and the kids being farther away from us.”
“They’re likely safer on Calliope, actually, if we bring the Hermessi children here,” Mona replied. “I think we can pull this off. A multi-pronged approach against these ritual elementals is definitely needed.”
On that we could all agree, unequivocally. Our odds against them were low, but we could change that, even by a fraction, if we got more rogue Hermessi to pitch in. In order to do that, we needed to keep their children safe, so an extraction mission was certainly our best way forward. The more support we got from the rebels, the better equipped we’d be to resist and survive whatever Brendel would throw at us.
Come tomorrow, my crew and I would be headed back to Cerix, and it wasn’t going to be pretty or easy. On the contrary, it could very well be our last attempt at stopping the ritual. So, yes, if Tebir was on board and willing to help GASP retrieve the Hermessi children, I was more than happy to welcome him into the fold. Judging by the expressions around the table, I could tell they all felt the same way. The brief moment I’d had with Herakles and my parents had suddenly slipped into the periphery of my thought process. Bigger, deadlier fish to fry.
It was time to up our game against Brendel and depriving her of the leverage she’d so staunchly held against the rogues was a fantastic method. Besides, I welcomed anything that would piss Brendel off.
Varga
While Derek, Sofia, and the other GASP founders stayed back to discuss the Yahwen extraction mission with Tebir, the rest of our crew scattered across The Shade. I, for one, had every intention to spend as much time with Eva as I possibly could. Without knowing what tomorrow might bring, I needed to be close to her, to enjoy every second I was given in her presence and be thankful for it.
We were given one of the guest treehouses on the southern edge of the island, built high up around one of the tallest redwoods in the forest. From here, I could see the Great Dome and the witches’ portal. Beyond them, the beach stretched wide and golden, the ocean lapping at it with foamy waves.
This particular guesthouse had a small, circular terrace made of hardwood and wrought iron, painted dark green and adorned with potted flowers. Eva seemed to love it, constantly smiling at the colorful blossoms and taking deep breaths to enjoy their mixed scents. We’d settled on a small rattan loveseat, my arms wrapped neatly around her as she leaned into me.
“This feels nice,” she said, looking out into the night.
The Shade’s spell was always a sight to behold, for the sky was always starry and moonlit, in soft strips of navy blue and indigo. The occasional cloud crossed it, and it only rained when the island’s jinn deemed it necessary to help the vegetation grow and stay healthy. This haven was a successful experiment of controlled nature and magic, perfect for anyone who didn’t like the buzz and agitation of the world beyond. I could easily see myself coming back here, over and over, with Eva.
“It’s one of my favorite places in the universe,” I replied, relishing the feel of her satiny skin against the tips of my fingers. We’d both shed our GASP uniforms in favor of light and breezy linen clothes. Her dress revealed the golden-emerald scales that had developed from her nape to her lower back. I felt as though I’d been given the privilege to gaze upon one of nature’s greatest masterpieces.
Lamias were known to be beautiful and seductive, but there was something about Eva that raised her above her species, even without the vampirism. She had this vivid spark in her yellow eyes, which spelled a thirst for knowledge and adventure. Her chin was always up, her noble bloodline ever-present, but she never took advantage of it. She got down and dirty, much like the rest of us.
Despite her graceful features and sinuous curves, Eva was a fierce and ruthless fighter, making good use of all her abilities in the battlefield. She wasn’t fearless, but she refused to let dread get the better of her—I’d seen this first-hand during our initial encounter with Kabbah. There was an insane level of determination in her, and it made me want to follow her to the very ends of the universe, if need be.
She raised her head to look me in the eyes. “Varga, if somehow we survive past tomorrow, there’s something you should know.”
“You’ve got a husband and five baby Lamias hidden somewhere on Calliope?”
It made her laugh, and I loved the crystalline sound of it. “No, silly,” she replied, turning serious all of a sudden. “Seven.”
“Seven what?” I asked, somewhat confused.
“Seven baby Lamias.”
For a moment, I wondered if she was telling the truth or just messing with me. The corner of her mouth tugged, ever so slightly, enough to draw a chuckle out of me as I pulled her close and kissed her. The sweetness of her lips was dangerously addictive—that much I’d assessed from the beginning—but I had no problem with that whatsoever. I was hooked on Eva, with zero regrets.
“I’m not sure about the husband, but I think I’ll love the kids, no matter how many,” I said against her lips. She sat up and took a deep breath. I felt cold in the absence of her embrace.
“Seriously now, there is something you should know.” She sighed, her gaze lowering. It struck me as odd to see her so uneasy before me. Eva had been brutally outspoken until now. I was intrigued. “You and me… I get that there’s definitely something here between us. Something I didn’t think I’d find with you, of all people, but it’s undeniable, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, don’t get me wrong…”
“You’re spinning around what you really want to say, Eva. Just let it out already,” I replied, slightly amused by her adorable awkwardness.
“My mom. She won’t approve of us.”
In an instant, her shoulders dropped. I sensed her relief, but her aura told me this concern was genuine. It glowed gold whenever she looked at me, but there were tendrils of yellow and deep red scattered throughout—the fear of Tamara’s future reaction and the anger at the thought of arguing with her over this. I took a deep breath and leaned forward, unwilling to let anyone, including Eva’s mother, ruin tonight for us.
“I’m a dashing prince of Nevertide. Someday, I’ll be emperor,” I said. “What’s not to like?”
Again, she laughed, having a hard time keeping her composure around me. I loved that I could elicit such reactions from her. It filled me with childish pride, knowing I was able to make her laugh and smile more than anyone else in the world, and especially in these difficult circumstances. Soon enough, however, she frowned. “You’re not a Druid. My mother expects me to marry a Druid and continue the Lamia species, given that there are so few of us, still.”
“A sentry-Lamia hybrid is unacceptable?”
Any procreation process would require Eva to take the vampire cure—it was dangerous to humans if used repeatedly, but we knew even less about it for creatures outside that species. Eva had already pissed Tamara off when she’d turned vampire, and I could only imagine the face Tamara would make if she met the two of us now, together. Children were such a distant idea at this point… a mere “maybe, someday” on our radar, yet they were clearly essential to any kind of future for Eva, according to her mother. I could certainly understand why Eva had found this subject to be touchy, especially for the two of us in this still-budding relationship.
“Lamias haven’t been able to reproduce with any other species besides the Druids,” she murmured. “Granted, we haven’t tried sentries… yet.”
The way she looked at me when she said that made my senses catch fire. It made me want to go out right now and wring Brendel’s neck and snap it like a twig, just so I’d get a future with Eva, where I would get to love and cherish her, where I would get to test that compatibility theory until she’d come to me, one day, and smile and say she’s going to have my—I paused and sucked in a breath. I was letting the future go a little too fast ahead of me.
I gave her a soft smile, tucking a lock of her luscious black hair behind her ear. “I don’t really care what your mother thinks, to be honest,” I said. “Of course, I’d love her approval, but if she’s hell-bent on the species compatibility issue, there isn’t much I can do to change her mind, anyway. All I care about is what you want, Eva. If you want me in your life, I’m here. If you don’t, I obviously won’t like it. I might even feel miserable or worse, but I will respect your decision. Heck, if we somehow reach that day when you’re ready for the vampire cure and the prospect of motherhood, and if your only option will be the help of a Druid father, and you’ll still want me in your life, we could totally try some IVF treatments. I’m pretty sure the witches will help us with that. And I’ll raise that child as my own. I will love him or her until the end of days, just like I will love his or her mother.”
She stopped me, pressing her index and middle fingers against my lips. Her eyes were wide, glimmering with astonishment, while her aura flared like the sun, making me squint for a moment. I couldn’t hear her breath, though. It was as if it had gotten stuck in her throat. She swallowed hard and gasped.
“You were getting carried away back there,” she mumbled.
“But I meant it. I mean, should that day ever come. I just want you to understand my mindset.”
“I know. It just makes me fall even harder for you,” she replied, prompting me to hold her tight and kiss her, deeply and with every ounce of emotion I’d felt swelling inside me from the moment we’d first met. This was it, for me. Yes, it was intense, and it was moving fast, but we were still staring death in the face—it kind of gave us a free pass to skip past a few stages, fearing perhaps that we might not survive this. That we might not be together.
Eva was my girl, and there was no way I’d pass up on the faintest possibility of us having a future. We’d worry about taking things slow once we were done with this end-of-days madness. The Hermessi be damned.
She welcomed me, her lips parting. I explored every inch of her mouth with my tongue. She moaned softly against me, and I nearly unraveled in her embrace. “Whatever happens, Eva, I’m with you, okay? I just want you to know that. As long as you want me in your life, nothing can stop me. We’ll handle the rest once we get to sit back and chill and have zero Hermessi to worry about.”
“That sounds like the perfect plan,” she said. “I don’t care what my mother wants. I just want to be with you.”
Ah, the greatest words I’d ever heard, tickling my ears like music from the gods. She let her head rest on my shoulder as we cuddled on the loveseat. Beyond the flowerpots and the wrought-iron edge of the treehouse’s terrace, The Shade unraveled in its mysterious nocturnal colors—dark hues of ocean and redwoods, the moon and stars shining down on everything, casting their pearlescent sheen.
We reveled in the silence, interrupted only by the splash of a distant wave or the hum of the midnight breeze. Just the two of us, watching the endless night go by and hoping that time would stop, somehow, before the morning came… before we’d go out and face uncertainty and potential death, once more.
Before, I’d had nothing to lose, and I’d thrown myself into battle with a recklessness that had earned me both praise and admonishment from my father. But this time it was different. I had something to lose. Something to look forward to. Something to fight for, even when my body and mind might fail me. I had Eva. And Eva had me.
Amelia
For the better part of an hour, Raphael and I said nothing.
We simply walked along the beach, with the moon shining above and lights flickering in the redwood treehouses rising along the coastline to our left. The ocean whispered to us, coming to the sandy shore in lazy waves.
Despite our sudden decision to go on a date, neither of us seemed to know what to do in this situation. At the same time, and despite the obvious awkwardness, we didn’t mind the silence. It didn’t change anything between us. We’d already taken the crazy leap toward each other, the moment we’d first kissed back on Mortis, then again after he’d asked me out and I’d blurted my “Okay.”
“I suppose I should’ve read past the part about asking for the parents’ permission,” Raphael muttered, his hand still holding mine. He looked at me, his eyes darker in the night. “What do people do on dates?”
“At the risk of repeating myself, are you serious?” I asked, unable to stop myself from smiling.
He shrugged. “I figured I’d take things one page at a time. I wasn’t sure you’d say yes.”
