We both nodded back, waiting for a similar reaction from Amal and Nethissis. When they silently confirmed that they, too, were prepared, Derek pressed the control button and the ramp went down with a loud click.

Sofia, Esme, and I pulled on our head covers and masks, given the broad daylight awaiting us outside. Derek, the lucky bastard, had no need, much like Amal and Nethissis. For now, I was fine with that, as long as he did the talking first, like we’d discussed, and assured these people that we were not hostile in any way.

Just slightly light-sensitive.

Derek

My heart was pounding in a way I’d never felt before.

This wasn’t the first time I was making contact with a new civilization, but it was the first time I was doing it in order to get something that might elevate my entire species. Thousands of vampires relied on me and this prolific crew to succeed. Perhaps it was the pressure of this precise thought that made me sweat a little.

Then again, I could also blame it on the view expanding before me as we calmly and slowly came down the shuttle’s ramp. This city was incredible. It reminded me of old Renaissance and Victorian images of Paris and London—an architectural mixture that composed a true ode of love and worship to buildings such as Notre Dame, among many others. I couldn’t ignore the similarities in the design lines and the materials used to erect this city’s many wonders, but I could also see the differences. The line arching left, instead of right. The gargoyle-like beasts that held up the roofs, looking rather different—another kind of gnarly, I thought. There was an otherworldly feel to this world, this city… yet it was imbued with a sense of familiarity. I was confounded.

We’d need days to explore and understand it all, I realized. For that, we had to play nice with the hosts. I did not regret my decision not to carry weapons off the shuttle.

“Derek, there’s a lot of them out here,” Sofia murmured beneath her sun mask.

Indeed, at least a hundred soldiers had gathered, each of them watching us carefully, their eyes glinting in the sunlight. In front of them, I recognized what had to be some kind of welcoming committee. Three males and one female of different ages, wearing elegant tunics and a long, dark red velvet dress, respectively.

But before I could truly focus on them, I looked at the soldiers again. Their lack of weapons was an encouraging aspect, but my reserve still did not falter. Our swords and pulverizers had come in handy before, even though we ourselves didn’t really need them. These people had to have something, some kind of ability, at least, that allowed them to confidently stand here before complete strangers. They didn’t fear us in any way. It was written all over their faces.

“Let us stay calm. I believe the four in the welcoming party ahead will be the ones for us to speak with,” Tristan advised.

Behind the soldiers, the city rose with its sharp towers, facets of dark green and cream mingling across. The daylight was a little off, almost ethereal. This was not a regular sun they had on Trexus-2… no, it was different. Beautiful and hazy, but different. It probably had something to do with the mist we’d just passed through and which had obstructed our telescope views.

People stared at us from the glass windows, and I wondered what they were thinking. What they saw us as. Friends or invaders? It couldn’t be the latter; otherwise, we would’ve been obliterated by their flying ships and humming pods before we’d even touched the ground. No, they had to be curious, perhaps a bit wary, at worst.

As we moved forward, I took a moment to better study the four nobles’ attire—they had to be nobles in this society. It was obvious from the way in which they carried themselves, exuding the confidence of a higher rank. The three males were interesting to look at. One seemed to be in his mid-forties, a stocky figure with a round face and long, black, square-cut beard. The stuffy sideburns were odd, stemming from his short black hair, but they did bring out his inquisitive gray eyes. He had to be a wealthy official, judging by the silver and gold emblems mounted on the lapel of his dark blue velvet coat. The ruffles of the white shirt beneath seemed to wrestle against his beard, while the trousers matching the coat had been tailored to help slim his frame by an inch or two.

The second Trexus male had a tall, muscular build and was in his late thirties. He was likely a military figure of great importance, judging by his stiff posture and the similarity between his uniform and the soldiers’. His, however, was black with golden thread details, and numerous badges and gemstone emblems covered his broad shoulders. His black hair was long, braided into a tight, slim tail with golden thread weaving through. It reminded me of Neraka’s daemon fighters. He had rough features, but I was willing to bet he’d broken a few hearts along the way. Unlike the soldiers’ general lack of expression, this guy was staring us down, not that happy to see us.

The third male had a few traits in common with the female next to him. She was likely his mother, though she looked remarkably young to have mothered him. He was noticeably younger than his peers, his hair black with silvery streaks, his eyes blue and cold. A handsome fella fitted neatly into a gray suit, with a cream vest and white shirt, his frame rather wiry but athletic. I could imagine he was fast and agile in combat. There was curiosity in his gaze, the kind that made me want to offer a faint smile, just to make sure they all understood we’d come in peace before I even said anything.

His mother, the lady, seemed to be in her mid-thirties, at most. Her pale skin stood out, in contrast with the others around her. A soft shimmer lingered on her sharp cheeks, long, silvery hair cascading down her back. Her eyes, much like her son’s, were icy blue, but did not make me feel welcome. I had to give her credit on her looks, though. She was gorgeous in her dark red velvet dress, occasionally drawing stolen glances from soldiers around us. A black cape poured down from her shoulders, spilling across the stone slabs behind her.

There was something about her that sent chills down my spine. It had been a long time since I’d last been made to feel this way, an ominous sensation creeping through the back door of my consciousness, warning me to be careful. As if she had secrets that might pose a threat to us. Of course, this was still a mere suspicion, and I reserved full judgment for later.

We reached the four and stopped. “Let us bow,” Esme suggested. “It’s a polite form of hello across multiple civilizations.”

I bowed first, followed by Sofia, Tristan, Esme, Amal, and Nethissis. The four watched us with genuine interest. The young one smiled. We seemed to amuse him, and I hoped it would eventually work out in our favor.

“We come in peace,” I said. “From another world.”

“Yes, your ship sort of gave that away,” the stocky one replied. “I suppose we should say welcome to Visio, then.”

His tone was flat. As if this was the last thing he would’ve wanted to occupy his day with. I couldn’t help but feel a little insulted. Nevertheless, I kept my smile on. The introduction was bound to be tricky, given the purpose of our visit.

“We’re from the same galaxy, but not exactly neighbors,” I replied. “Our home is called Earth. Yours is Visio, then?”

They all nodded. “I suppose you gave it another name? Assuming you’ve studied our solar system, at least, before coming over,” the female said.

“We did, yes. We called it Trexus.”

Next to me, Sofia kept a straight face beneath her sun mask, but I knew she was analyzing each of them in great detail, much like Esme and Tristan. Amal gave me a wondering glance, while Nethissis looked around, checking the soldiers again. From up close, I was able to appreciate the beautiful, intricately sculpted silver armor that covered their necks, chests, and calves. The metal parts were strapped with slim leather bands around their torsos and legs, and I wondered how much protection they truly offered. Hopefully, we’d never have a reason to find out. Their helmets, slightly pointed and reaching for the sky, covered only the top of the head.

The higher-ranked officers had colored feathers pouring from the back of the helmet, and I wondered whether the nuances determined specific positions within the army. I could see golden, white, red, and blue feathers, separately.

There was tension in the air. Not enough to make us uncomfortable, but enough to warrant extreme care when dealing with these people—at least until they warmed up to us. The female chuckled, gazing at her son. “Did you hear that, Kalon? Trexus.”

“A bit too rough for us, if you ask me,” he said, his gaze fixed on Esme, who suddenly felt compelled to explain.

“It’s a made-up name. A placeholder, if you will. Something for us to identify your world by, since we did not know its true name.”

“What brings you here?” the military leader asked, his gaze steely and fixed on me. “I see our mist did not deter you.”

So that’s what that was!

“It’s an exploratory mission, sir,” I said. “We’ve always wanted to see if there was life beyond our Earth. Shall I conclude you project that hazy mass around your planets to keep curious outsiders away?”

I briefly looked at Sofia, knowing she would’ve agreed with my approach. There was no need to tell these people about the Supernatural Dimension or the In-Between yet. First we had to get them to relax and let us into the city. If we could meet their leaders, even better. We’d all agreed to go as high up the chain of command as possible before making our request for native blood.

The lady stepped forward, breaking the line. “The haze is designed to discourage incursions into our world,” she said. “We’re not that crazy about foreigners snooping around, but… now, that you’re here, it’s only natural that we extend our courtesy. We’re not monsters.”

Only then did I notice the soldiers behind her, whose armor was made of gold, setting themselves apart from the others. They had to be some sort of higher-level guard, assigned specifically to the nobles. There were no weapons visible on them, either, which made me all the more curious. Surely, given the people they were supposed to protect, they should’ve at least carried swords? I decided to leave the question for later. We needed more than a flat welcome to proceed, at this point.

“I’m Petra Visentis, high priestess,” the lady said, pride elevating her voice. “These are my esteemed partners on the ruling council of Visio,” she added, looking at the two elder males. “The gentleman with the neatly trimmed beard is Zoltan Shatal, chief councilor. The uniform is General Corbin Crimson.”

“It’s an honor,” I replied. “I’m Derek Novak, and this is my wife and partner, Sofia Novak.” I then proceeded to introduce the others, while wondering why Petra hadn’t done the same for the young male, whom she’d warmly identified as Kalon. “Esme and Tristan Vaughn, specializing in the study of cultures and civilizations. Amal, our lead scientist. And Nethissis Alexa, our respected colleague and swamp witch.”

Kalon’s eyes grew wide. “What’s a swamp witch?” he asked.

“I serve the Word, a higher power of the universe, milord,” Nethissis replied politely. Oh, she’d definitely paid attention during all our briefings prior to the mission, especially where all the etiquette norms had been explained. We hadn’t known what sort of people we’d be dealing with, so we’d opted for the most respectful terms and expressions to use, as a safety measure.

“This is my son, Kalon Visentis,” Petra finally said. “He assists the council on various matters.”

“Including this one, I suppose?” I asked, smiling.

“I had to come see for myself,” Kalon replied. “When we were told about an object headed toward us, I admit, I was enticed.” He glanced at Esme again. “So far, I haven’t been disappointed.”

Corbin Crimson cleared his throat. “Why do you keep your faces covered?” he asked, looking at Sofia, Esme, and Tristan. “Normally, we’d consider it a threat.”

“No, we are not a threat, I assure you,” I said firmly. “Sofia, Tristan, and Esme are vampires, and they are extremely sensitive to sunlight. This was the only way for them to come out and greet you before nightfall, I’m afraid.”

“If you get us into a room where there’s no direct sunlight, the three of us will gladly take off our masks,” Esme said. I wondered what had prompted Kalon’s interest in her, given that he couldn’t even see her face. But Esme’s hypnotizing green eyes must’ve drawn his attention, and I wondered whether that was a good thing or not. That was the trouble with meeting complete strangers. You never know what you’re going to get.

“What are vampires, exactly?” Zoltan asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

“We’re a species of Earth,” I said, simplifying the tale of our origin as best as I could. “We’re superior to the humans who inhabit our world, but we were all humans once. Vampirism gave us great strength and speed, among other things. It has also rendered us extremely sensitive to daylight, unfortunately.”