Bitter Sweet (24 page)

              “Empress,” sighed Lilith, trying to convey a deep apology.

              “That title no longer suits me; I shed that the day Lucifer locked me in that godforsaken box.”

              “Aaliyah,” sighed everyone, and they all bowed in unison. The only ones left standing were Alison, June, Alik, and me, who were frozen in awe.

              “Stand straight you three; you do not bow before me.” Lilith straightened up, looking Aaliyah in the eyes, while Ayara and Ario seemed to keep their gazes averted. “Aaliyah will suffice. Your speech was truly special, Lilith. It touched me. That..." she looked to the still vampire on the ground, "useless corpse on the ground there didn’t seem to be able to take your message to heart.” She began to slowly revolve, taking in those that bowed before her. “I must admit, I would have never thought that with your natural food source being the

humans, you could coexist so well. You have created a world that I don’t think I would have been able to do myself.”

              “High praise coming from you,” said Lilith.

              “Praise that you deserve,” Aaliyah stated, her eyes falling on Alik and me. “You, girl. Come here,” she called. It wasn’t a command, but rather a request, but Alik moved in front of me. “You are her mate? I honor bravery in vampire, but it is not needed here. I will not harm the girl; I have a question for her.”

              “It’s okay, Alik,” I said, not sure where my bravery came from. I stepped around him and walked over to Aaliyah slowly.

              “I thought that you would be able to understand me,” she smiled.

              “Why wouldn’t I be able to understand you?”

              “Because I’m not speaking English anymore; it is your vampire blood that is allowing you and the rest in black to understand me. The other humans have not a clue what is going on, they are simply following their vampire master’s lead.”

              “What are you speaking?”

              "The language of the heavens. I guess you might know it as speaking in tongues. That is however, besides the point. I just wanted to ask you why are you here?” she changed the subject quickly.

              “What do you mean?” I was confused.

              “Why did you come to this place surrounded by those that would rather enjoy your blood?” she asked, placing a finger on my neck. “Or sooner want to see you dead to take your place?” Her eyes fell on a number of female vampire. “The other human are like I said, just following their masters like pets, but I sense something else from you. I’m not sure what, so, what is the reason?”

              “I’m here for Alik.”

              “For him? As a pet to feed on?

              “No, I’m nobody’s pet. I came with him because I love him and he asked me to come,” I said, noticing some defiance in my voice.

              “Is this why you allowed his egregious crime in your books, Lilith? The love that is between this human and vampire?”

              “No, it is more her strength of character that saved her life. She can offer us much,” answered Lilith.

              “Good. You and Ayara always were the sentimental type, glad to see that has not clouded your judgement. Ario, you seemed to have wanted young Alik killed on the spot for sharing our blood with a human in such a way.”

              “It is a law that has kept us secret for centuries and that was the punishment,” he said, his eyes on the floor.

              “As diligent as always, Ario, but I’m glad you failed in your attempt. This girl is intriguing,” she smiled at me. Her smiled scared me more than anything ever had, but I mastered my impulse to run or cry out.

              “Umm, excuse me,” I said, not knowing how it would be received.

              “Yes, girl? Actually, what is your name? I have been rude,” Aaliyah apologized, taking a seat in Lilith’s throne.

              “Vanessa.”

              “Vanessa, what would you like to know?” She asked me taking her black cloak off to reveal her thin slender body, Aaliyah was close to naked, only having thin strips of cloth over the breast and waist.

              “If the little I know about you is true, God and the Devil sealed you away... Just how… did you get out?” I asked as she slid her rightful red cloak over her sholders.

Vanessa Stanton

Chapter 32.0

              Aaliyah sat in Lilith’s throne, looking at me as if she was still trying to understand something that was new and fascinating. After a few moments, a smile crossed her face. She appeared next to me, taking my hand in hers. Her hands were soft and cool like Alik’s, but where his touch was soothing, Aaliyah’s burned.

              “Walk with me”, she said. There was the strangest sensation of a light breeze on my face and I was outside in the rock garden. I gasped for air like I had been holding my breath for hours and my heart raced in my chest as if it wanted to tear through my ribcage. Aaliyah released my hand and Alik took it at my side.  “You were able to keep up with me?” she questioned, looking at Alik even more intently. “Your friend over there as well,” she said, looking to June.

              “Vanessa, are you okay,” Alik asked me, taking no notice that Aaliyah had spoken.

              “Yes,” I panted. She moved me like Lilith had the day before, but this felt more wild and rough.

              Aaliyah revolved on the spot, taking in the scenery around her.

She seemed to be amazingly interested in everything, although her actions were strange. She was more like a child than anything else, and she was looking at a new toy that was just slightly out of her grasp.

              “I suppose you would like to hear my story as well?” she spoke without addressing anyone in particular.

              “To be honest, it doesn’t really matter to me how you got out of wherever you were,” said Alik.

              “I wasn’t talking to you; you’re just here for her, I take it?” she asked, looking at me again. “Such loyalty,” she said questioningly. She began to move around the rock garden and it was like a graceful dance. She made an entire circuit before resting on a rock in front of Alik and me. There was no evidence she had ever moved; there wasn’t a single footprint in the sand. “You, with the sword, what is your name?”

              “June.”

              “I take it that you’re another one of Lilith’s creations?”

              “Yes, I am.”

              “Yet you move somewhat like Ayara.”

              “She has been mentoring me in the art of the sword.” June's response was respectful, but guarded.

              “Shame, but anyway, those three never get with the times. You know, they should be here as well.” She snapped her fingers three times and without a sound, the Elders were in front of Aaliyah. “You answer my call as if it was yesterday,” smiled Aaliyah.

              “Always,” they chimed.

              “Lilith, I’m disappointed. She could be much greater; I asked for a strong army, not just an army,” said Aaliyah. “Do not get attached, understood?”

              “Yes Aaliyah, I will fix my mistake immediately.”

              “Good, you two on the roof, would you please come down? I would rather see you." Her voice then grew sickly sweet. "I don’t bite.”

              Alison and Alisa gracefully leapt from the roof and joined the rest of us in the garden. Aaliyah seemed to be pleased with her audience and stage now. “Could I know your names as well?”

              “I’m Alison.”

              “You are extremely new and another one of Lilith’s creation?”

              “Yes.”

              “And you?”

              “Alisa.”

              “You are much older, aren’t you?”

              “Yes.”

              “I do not know your creator, interesting. Do you yourself know?”

              “No.” Alisa didn’t meet Aaliyah's eyes.

              “A shame. Well, you are the only ones willing to follow, I’m guessing,” Aaliyah said, surveying us all. “I’m sorry, Vanessa, I still haven’t answered your question,” she pointed out as her hand rose to the black ball still circling her head and caught it.

              “Can I ask another question?”

              “Of course.”

              “What is that?” My eyes were fixed on the ball.

              She closed her palm, her head at a slight tilt and a scream echoed in the dark. “It was what you would call a soul. This filth did not deserve to exist in any capacity, and now he doesn’t. So now, your original question: how did I come to be here? I hope you don’t mind, I will have to start a little before my actual awakening so you fully

understand.”

              “No, not at all.”

              “Well, it’s a long story, so you might wish to sit down.” We all took seats on various rocks and she smiled at us and seemed to enjoy herself. Then she started.

Aaliyah of Dawn

Chapter 33.0

              “Before Eden ever created the human race, the world was a very different place. There was no night and day, just light and dark. In this time the Earth unique in that it was the one planet in solar system that did not rotate on its axis as it does now. In the light existed the Solarians; they developed massive oases based cities in the deserts due to their unique ability to control the life force around other living creatures and plants. In the dark dwelled the Lunarian’s, who amassed great prosperity due to their unique ability to control the darkness around them in their luminescent cities high in the trees of the dark forest. For centuries neither knew the other existed. Both people being content to focus on tapping the full potential of their respective gifts and talents, that is until both wished to expand their territories. With a better grasp on who and what they were both peoples felt safe to ventured out into the strange and unknown. First contact between the two people blossomed into a period of enlightenment and for a time, they coexisted peacefully. However as they studied and learned about each other, diving deeper into each others core existence hate began to spwan. Soon after this conflicts broke out over their differences in looks, beliefs, and desires. Wars raged on and death roamed both sides untamed. Millions died in horrific battles that scared the earths surface.”

              While both the Solarians and the Lunarians had their own special gifts over their home lands. During their brief co-existence they learned that some shared a similar power, and while each got the same result through a different method, this commonality was the weak link that held them together for as long as it did. The gift, the ability to control the souls of their ancestors that still roamed the surface of the planet.

              Despite the differences between each race, Lunarian and Solarian social structures were very similar as well. Each had a high priest or priestess that acted as leader till death or defeat in single combat by a challenger. The Solarians had their God, who at the time of war between was an ancient Solarian named Eden Old. He was white-haired, very wise, and powerful in all Solarian gifts. The Lunarians had a new, young, and powerful Devil who reigned over them by the name of Lucifer Star; he was dark-haired and handsome, as well as cunning.

              The fighting between the two peoples grew so fearsome that it threatened the stability of the planet. In a hostile meeting both decided to meet in single combat to settle the age long war between their people. The fight lasted days and the planet began to burn and die under their power and might. Eden won out, casting Lucifer and the last Lunarians inside a dimension created within the planet itself to act as support for the damaged planet keeping the cracked rock together. Now unhindered by the Lunarians, Eden began to reshape the planet and heal the damages the battle had caused. Victory quickly went to the Solarians’ heads and soon Eden’s people were calling for the total eradication of the Lunarians and punishments to be carried out on their strongest for all the Solarians hurt in the age long wars. This went against their God's wishes so to keep the balance, he fought so hard for. Eden came to the decision that neither the Solarians or the Lunarians deserved the planet and Eden banished the Solarians as he had the Lunarians, within a dimension he created among the stars, leaving himself in a chosen self-exile on the earth.

              His work kept him going as he reworked and reshaped the earth. While rewarding, finishing his work on the planet was draining him. His grasp on the Lunarian prison weakened without his knowledge. However, he kept up his work tirelessly on a newer and purer form of life, managing to craft the first human male, Adam, Eve, or myself, came next. We were to inherit the Earth from the last

Lunarian and populate it with humans. Around Eden plant life and animals flourished, feeding off of Eden’s power, and thus the creation of the Garden of Eden, Adam and my home sprang into being. Adam and I lived within the Garden of Eden for a time happily. Eden would keep us entertained with story’s and displays of awesome power from another time.

              You know what happened next,” I looked out at Vanessa who stood confused, Alik who was at the ready should I try to hurt his presious human, then I looked to my right and saw no one but at the same time I saw Alik there. It is where he should have been.

              “You joined Lucifer after Eden cast you out of the garden. You were then made immortal as a vampire when Lucifer gave you his blood to keep you from dying. When Lucifer grew cold feet about another war you cast him out of Hell. Lucifer came back with a story about how he was wrong, then he betrayed you having asked Eden to help seal you away,” said Alison, who had been eagerly awaiting the end of my short story.

              “Very close. I’m not a vampire as all of you are. I am actually closer to Vanessa, stuck between two species. When I created my three children here, I believed the effect of the transformation was weakened slightly to create what you call vampire.”

              “What do you mean?” asked Vanessa puzzled. “I am human.”

              I laughed at her ignorance. “No, you aren’t, but nor are you vampire. You have gotten so used to your new power over a long period of time that you control it naturally. Even if your lover stopped giving you the small amounts of blood he has, your new senses at this point would no longer fade. You have grown used to the taste of blood as well, its why you have been fingering that vile of Lilith blood around your neck the whole night. You itch to drink it, not because it is the blood of someone powerful but because it is blood. Take one of the idiots in the white back in the ballroom for your own, see what happens. I would love to know.” The news clearly shocked her, I could hear Alik’s hand ball into a fist. I craved for him to care about me in such a way. “It will be a lot of fun to see what you’re capable of as a true vampire.”

              “I couldn't…” she started.

              “It’s not really important that you do anything, it was just a fact that you are no longer fully human. Normal food still seems to be just fine for you. Anyway, back to what I was saying, when I created Lilith, Ario, and Ayara, I didn’t know what would happen, to be honest. I recreated Lucifer’s experiment with me and you all are the result. I do not require human blood to maintain my strength; what I need is the whole of the human soul.” I sighed at their looks. “Again I’m getting sidetracked. Alison did get the story right for the most part, I was sealed away by Lucifer, the Devil, and Eden, who is God. A sprit guarded me by the name of Pandora deep beneath that very mountain behind us until about ten months ago, when Lycuian found me as he was exploring caves deep underground. There was a small earthquake as he was passing the place I was kept and the walls crumbled, exposing my tomb. That idiot Pandora died long ago to acute blind devotion, her master choosing to forget about her as he forgot about me.

              Any lingering spirit can only exist when they have not been forgotten. The saying ‘You will live on in our thoughts’ does have some abstract truth to it.

              With Pandora’s death, the bonds on my tomb were weakened, but I had also grown weak, too weak to break them. When Lycuian found me, he freed me and carried my withered and weakened body to a village nearby. I’m not sorry to say, but there were no survivors. It had been so long since I fed and I needed all of their lives to regain my shape and vitality.” I ran my hands along my curves in a seductive strech, I felt Alik’s eyes on me but he was not admiring my body. All I felt was cold calculations, he was more interested in the best way to kill me if it came to that to protect his little human pet. “With my strength returned, he took me to America. Along the way, he explained how the world had changed, how my children have been doing.”

              I was interrupted for a moment, to my audience my paused for what seemed like no reason confused everyone til I turned my head to the left to look at the young sixteen year old girl that had appeared there. Her raven hair was lined with red and white accents, her eyes an even brighter red than a raging fire. She had on a black sports bra, just visible under a white dress shirt. The only thing keeping it on her was one button fastened just above her belly button; her black pants were crooked on her small caramel colored frame with an oversized belt that slumped in the opposite direction of her pants. Her white

shoes were just visible under the cuffs of her pants. She held a staff tucked behind her right arm. She was beautiful for what would be considered a tomboy.

              "They are here now, and they are finishing their final preparations. It will be a fun night. Is there anything else you would like for me to do, Aaliyah?” she said in a light French accent.

              “As efficient as always, Ceil, my love. Everyone, this is Ceil. She’s young, but very gifted and very helpful. I believe I owe you, Alisa, for me finding her.”  I presented my shadow to them all.

              “How so?” asked Alisa.

              “For your little game in New York a few months back. Lycuian found her nearly dead and I hadn’t tried creation for a while and turned her,” I looked to my three. “Not that I love you three any less.” I smiled at my children.

              “A young boy was killed, but the sixteen year old girl he was with went missing and the body was never found,” Vanessa whispered.

              “That was probably me; I’m just mad that I couldn’t find the one who tried to kill me myself,” Ceil said, looking over at Alik.

              “Oh no Ceil, little June there killed your attackers, not Alik. Although, I’m sure he would have had just as easy a time with them. I’m sure you and June can become great friends.”

              “Perhaps.”

              “Stay close Ceil, although I doubt you will be needed. I will be awaiting your final report,” I said and Ceil was gone.

              “Who is here?” Vanessa asked.

              “Those who followed you here: the young ones that the corpse controlled. They wish to, I believe the term is, ‘crash the party’. I figured you would have your own method of dealing with them, Lilith.”

              “We do. June, what is their force?

              “There are around 120; they are no threat,” June replied.

              “So you noticed them? That’s very impressive. Well, I believe we have time for me to finish my story. Unless you wish to go to them and finish this sooner rather than later.”

              “No, please continue. It would be in bad taste not to allow them to experience our hospitality,” Lilith stated.

              “I see,” I said giving her a smile. “Well then, let’s see where was I, Lycuian found me, saved me, and showed me the new world. He did rather well for himself, and his coven was rather peaceful for vampire, yet powerful, very powerful. That filth didn’t like that and he raised a small force to take that power for himself. I left Lycuian to explore the world for myself and one day, Ceil turns up with the news of Lycuian’s death; A Jack tried to take control but I returned and claimed Lycuian's coven as my own. All of the attackers that Ceil didn’t manage to kill are here leading this assault, along with additional forces they had on standby.”

              “Ceil was with Lycuian‘s coven? I saw the aftermath, it wasn’t pretty,” said Alik addressing me for the first time.

              “We assume it took a force of around thirty to kill off Lycuian and ten others; I believe that is a significant gathering even in today.”

              “I knew Lycuian personally; it would have taken at least three to kill him alone with them all attacking at once. We knew someone was creating an army. There were too many unexplained disappearances around the world in remote locations. It was to keep us off the trail. We figured that we were the target, not Lycuian,” Alik stated.

              “When we learned of a large group of vampire trickling into California, it was already too late. We wouldn’t have made it in time to help,” came Lilith’s voice.

              “Impressive as always, Lilith. They wished to stir up bad blood and create a stronger force to remove you three. Loyalty isn’t

something they understand and when none turned on Lycuian, they fought to take power. However, I’m sure that many of those back at your little party aren’t too happy with how things are run now. Some may betray you."

              "They will fail," June said softly, but her tone was icy.