It took Amee half an hour and Eyre, Amee, Enid were in a boardroom with various holo projectors and a wall screen. On one side of the table seven people flickered into existence. On the other. Eyre took a seat by Enid who stood at the head of the boardroom table. Amee stood to the right and behind Enid. One by one the various displays on the backwall flickered into existence. Along with six vampires on the opposite side of the table. On the screens were several more vampires. Enid identified several she recognized on sight. Isis, Maria, Chomaggus and one she despised with a passion, Myrkal Tavris, the former elder of Toronto.
Enid nodded to each group she leaned on the glass conference table and spread out her pale fingers. Her nails were black with polish and she had gone to lengths with her make over today to look like she belonged in the 29th century. If she looked like she belonged in this time and not an anachronism it would look like she had been here all along and just been quiet. She looked at each face individually.
“Good evening.”
She stood up straight pulled Lucius out of her pack and placed him on the table in front of her. The assembled, vampires looked shocked, even Eyre, except for Chomaggis who nodded like he had known all along. The wolf-born looked like they had just seen the face of God.
“I am Enid Aurelias, Empress of the Empire of Eternal Night. First born among vampires, and mother to all spirits. I am here to ask you to help us save the world.”
If Enid had to guess from the expression on Eyre’s face she would say she looked proud of her mother. Enid focused her gaze on the vampires.
“I have stood quietly by for centuries while you back stabbed each other in the back and squabbled. Creating spawn as if you had a limitless supply of mortals to feed from. Resisted my daughter at every turn. That ends tonight.”
Enid watched as fear flickered across the faces of all the vampires save Chomaggis. Even Eyre looked like she was about to get spanked.
“That ends tonight. I declare the 2nd Covenant no longer valid in this new age we find ourselves in.”
The sense of relief on the holograms and screens was palpable.
“In fact, tonight we will form a new Covenant, with the mortals. You are now forbidden from feeding on mortals who are unwilling. You are forbidden from creating new spawn without a formal license and consent from a new branch of the WTO, and permission from your Elder. For the Imperials that means myself or Eyre, for the Pugmentia, it will be a designated Governor and your bloodline elders. All new spawn will be at least age of majority and will have to undergo any psychological screenings the WTO deems necessary before the transition. You are forbidden from using your abilities to influence business or political dealings. You will compete on a level playing ground with the mortals in the arena of business. You will be subject to conscription if myself or my appointed Regent which is currently Eyre agree to assist the WTO and the mortals with external threats to our solar system. Yes, I am talking about Aliens. You are forbidden from holding political office or taking part in mortal wars. We will now join the society of mortals openly as brothers and sisters. Finally, you are now bound by mortal laws in all things. We are no longer above their laws. As a consequence, the Seers, Reapers to those of you who call us that are formally forbidden from handing out any punishments not expressly authorized by the WTO and our representative with them. Breaking the law is no longer punishable by second death save at my discretion, or in my absence my sister, or Eyre. Punishments will be determined by the WTO and my representative to them, Eyre. Seers are formally relieved of all duties. Should they wish to continue as instruments of justice Amee, head of the WTO has assured me they will be accepted by the WTO security forces as investigators. Does anyone wish to speak against my new covenants? If you are silent it assumed, you are bound to these covenants.
She watched they all let it sink in. She had basically just rewritten the law book for them that they were used to in some cases for thousands of years. Myrkal leaned forward, of course it would be him, the arrogant son of a bitch. Enid looked at him expectantly.
“You expect me, us to bow to the mortals and their laws. We are eternal they are insects.”
“No, I expect you to respect my power and authority.”
“And why should we bow to you, a relic from a bygone era you belong in a museum like the rest of the Imperials. This the time of the of Children of Lilith. Your time has passed. Look at you with a sword like it matters when we have orbital platforms that can wipe out entire cities.”
Enid looked at him.
“Where are you right now Myrkal?”
“I’m untouchable you, old fossil. We do not fear you anymore, we are long past superstitions. I am on Titan what are you going to do from Earth?”
He laughed. Enid glanced at Amee as if to say I told you so. She frowned glanced around the room, it looked like she was starting to lose other Pugmentia. It was time to set an example. She reached out her hand and said a few brief words in Atlantean and dark energy crackled around her hand. Myrkal started laughing harder, then he stopped and started screaming as purple lighting started to crackle over him and his flesh started to decay.
“Stop…stop!”
“No Myrkal, no I will not Stop. Tell me do you still feel untouchable? Are you scared?”
Enid watched him slowly dying as she consumed his life force from millions of kilometers away. Her power was growing exponentially she had not known if it would work but she had felt him through the ties of blood and pulled on the string with her blood magic. He twitched on in seat pleading for his un-life she drew the energy slowly. So, the other vampires assembled were forced to watch his slow agonizing march to death. He was helpless to stop her and they had to see that. She yanked the last threads of the blood that held him in this mortal plane and his body crumbled to a pile of black ash.
“Dimitri. Dimitri! I know you are there you little toadie.”
Another man in a black suit showed up in the screen. He looked a little unsettled as his hands touched the ashes that remained of his long-time companion and creator.
“You’re now the elder of your bloodline and inheritor of Myrkal’s holdings and domain.”
She looked to the vampires again, each one individually. Eyre looked appalled and frightened. Enid felt bad that her daughter had seen it, she needed the vampires to know that she was in control and that resistance was pointless. The only vampire that didn’t looked scared shitless was Chomaggis he was basically unreadable but if she had to guess, he was not surprised in the least.
“Any other objections to our new Covenants and partnership with the mortals?”
She was met with silence. Even Isis who was basically a living statue looked terrified and shocked. Enid smiled at them.
“I’m glad we can all move forward with this partnership in peace and harmony. I look forward to the future of prosperity it will bring.”
She glanced at Amee again who looked shocked, or as shocked as her cybernetic synth-flesh face could manage. Enid suspected she realized how much she had underestimated the power she was dealing with in her new allies. And their ruthlessness. Enid turned to the wolf-born.
“I suppose you are wondering why you are here. First off, I appreciate you joining us. I am Slays-Demons, blooded and named by Tooth and Claw. Do you know who I am?”
She had several nods of agreement.
“Good. I am petitioning the spirit-kin and wolf-born for their aid on behalf of the WTO. There is an alien threat that I have been advised is imminent. I cannot force you, or ask you to rewrite your laws, but I am not asking you to break them either. You are guardians of the earth and the mortals, this threat will wipe out all life on this planet, along with yourselves. I am asking you to work with the WTO in whatever capacity they request to aid them in their defense of our planet, and our solar system. I will not demand it of you, I do not have that right.”
The oldest of the assembled wolf-born glanced down the length of the table and across at the Imperials who were still sitting in a stunned silence.
“Unlike the bloodsuckers, we know our place and it is at the side of all who would defend our world from all threats. We will join you in this battle and all those to come, Great Mother.”
Enid bowed her head.
“I am honored by your presence. By tooth and claw.”
“We will let you all go, there is a lot of work to be done and a lot of planning. Ms. Jace’s people will be in touch.”
Amee broke the connection.
“You knew the werewolves would help, didn’t you?”
“Of course, it’s a fight, the fight they were born for.”
“I am concerned about Myrkal. He was useful and efficient at keep the vampires on Titan in line.”
“He would have negotiated your request into the ground, and you would have come back with a promise to consider promising helping.”
“So, he was just trying to negotiate a better deal? And you erased him just like that?”
She snapped her fingers.
“Yes.”
Enid nodded.
“But…”
“If I seemed open to hearing discussion or negotiating you would not have gotten your assistance. There would have been token agreements and promises but nothing real. By killing one of the elders like I did so visibly and disturbingly I have made a statement. It is the language vampires understand. Fear. Now they know that if they resist, or do not follow the new Covenants nowhere is safe for them. And if nowhere is safe then it is best to be safe by following the law. And I may or may not have said this, they will not risk their necks unless the alternative is scarier. I am now the scarier alternative. Fight and you have a chance to survive or hide and have your body decay with you in it then your soul ripped out. I will also be honest; I have wanted him gone for a long time. This just gave me an excuse. If one of the Imperials had spoken up, I would have done the same thing. He was just the one arrogant enough to question someone two thousand years older than him.”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Could you do that to anything?”
“No, only vampires. So, I can’t just reach out and obliterate the Silwrath for you.”
Amee nodded. Eyre was looking at her mother in a sort of stunned silence with a little bit of revulsion.
“Mom, you…just snuffed him out.”
“My power has grown.”
“I… I just need time to process.”
Enid shrugged.
“You know as well as I do, like I told Amee, that it was the only way to secure their cooperation.”
“There could be…repercussions mom. Vampires have cybernetically enhanced private armies. Like corporations.”
“And if they make a move they will pay will they not?”
Eyre shook her head.
“Your actions were reckless mom.”
“I agree with your mother, Eyre.”
Eyre frowned. Enid shrugged.
“You wanted their help, I got it. Now what?”
“We use your data to determine the best way to get you to your targets and back here.”
Eyre looked between the pair.
“What do you mean, get her to her targets?”
Enid sighed and glanced to Amee and back to Eyre. Then spoke.
“So ya, when we killed the Black Son…we broke reality and demons and Fallen angels have been escaping from Hell. So, Hazel and I have been killing them as we traveled through time.”
If Eyre were alive she would have gone pale. However in this new sunless world she just blinked at her mother as the ramifications hit her.
“Eyre, if we’d failed to kill him, everything would be gone…instead of damaged.”
Enid looked to Amee.
“Is the timeline correcting its path?”
“It seems to be shifting back to the one I remember, though it is still a mess until you sort out the rest. Right now the world ends in 1942...”
“What do you mean the world ends?”
“I mean, the only reason our ships, settlements exist is because we have temporal shields. No one knows it changed except me, strangely the grey still exists. Perhaps…it is temporally shield like I am…though the rovers that weren’t recovered have vanished from Mars…so someone is going to notice soon. You need to fix things.”
“I would love too but I have a limited supply of the medium I need to create the doorways. I have enough for two more trips.”
“What is it? Maybe we can synthase it.”
“Its…Sextus’s blood, its more about magic then substance.”
Eyre blinked at Enid.
“Where did you get that?”
“I asked him for it…in 2nd century Gaul and then again in Ancient Egypt…”
Amee blinked.
“Sextus…isn’t that your father?”
“Yes.”
“How could you be so reckless? You could have ripped…”
“My father wasn’t a foolish man. He didn’t ask any questions; I didn’t provide any information.”
“This is why people should not time travel.”
Enid quirked an eyebrow.
“You think I wanted to relive the 1st century AD? Or get hunted by elders in ancient Egypt? Trust me I didn’t want to be there. Shit happens, and you do the best with the information you have.”
Amee sighed.
“I’m sorry. Time travel makes me nervous, and paradoxes give me headaches.”
“Yet you’re saying I need to go back and kill more demons.”
“Yes, so you see how important it is.”
Eyre looked between the two.
“What is the next step?”
Amee pressed a few keys and Pluto showed up on the holodisplay in the center of the boardroom table. She zoomed into the space station.
“We use Maria’s device to send your mom back.”
Enid blinked.
“How long has she been trying to make a time portal to somewhere that actually works?”
“It might take us a while, but we need to get you to a point where you can get more blood right?”
“Well, I technically have three trips.”
“With no way of controlling where you end up?”
“True. But there is far more chance I’ll end up in a time where my father is alive then when he is not.”
Amee shook her head.
“I don’t like playing the odds.”
“Well I can’t just sit around here on my thumbs.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have a missing daughter.”
“I’ll track down this Taichai for you. You need to go to Pluto Station and work with your sister.”
Enid glanced towards the room Hazel was occupying and probably eating pizza right now.
“I’ll need her with me, the demons are too much for me alone.”
Eyre blinked at her mother.
“You can’t, it’s too dangerous.”
“She’s a wolf-born, she was born to do this work.”
“She’s your daughter.”
“And I’ve trained her well. I keep her as safe as I can, but she’s already killed one of them herself.”
Amee nodded.
“I can get her to Pluto in less then an hour, no need to ship her off there yet. Let her enjoy herself here, maybe take some classes. Learn about the future so she knows what she is trying to save.”
“Who will she stay with? She is chronologically in her thirties but mentally she’s still a teenager. She isn’t mature yet by any stretch.”
Eyre glanced at Amee who looked back at her. Eyre spoke.
“I’ll take her in.”
Amee chuckled.
“Keep her away from your sister.”
Eyre rolled her eyes. Enid laughed.
“I told her to make your life interesting.”
Eyre glared at Enid.
“You’re the one who taught her all that natural order bullshit.”
Enid shrugged.
“I raised her based on her culture’s beliefs. She took them to heart. Who says we know better?”
Eyre sighed.
“I’ll take Hazel home with me, when you’re ready I will get her to Pluto Station.”
“I guess I should let her know.”
Enid turned and approached the door that hid Hazel. It slid open as she approached and inside sat Hazel cross legged an empty pizza box beside her, her eyes fixed on her holotablet. Enid tapped her on the shoulder. Hazel jumped and looked up at her mother then pulled the tabs behind her ears.
“Sorry Mom, didn’t see you there.”
“Its okay, you’re going home with Eyre.”
“What?”
“I need to go to a boring space station, I figured you’d want to stay here, with pizza and live internet.”
“Its called the system net mom.”
“Whatever, it’s the same damn thing. Are you okay with staying with Eyre? I promise she’s harmless.”
Hazel looked up at her mother.
“I’d rather stay with you mom.”
“I know, but honestly, you can’t do much on the space station, its going to be boring and military. Trust me, military ships suck for fun.”
“But I want to go to space.”
“And you will. I’m going to be helping your Aunt Maria configure her portal to take us into the past. Not sure how. Anyway, once we’re ready, you’ll come to the station, which means not only will you go to space, but you’ll get to travel faster then the speed of light. Then we’ll go finish killing the demons then we’ll come back here and settle down for good. Okay?”
“Do I get to bring my tablet with me?”
“Yes, you can bring it with you. I even have solar chargers and fusion generators.”
Hazel almost tackled Enid as she hugged her. Bones cracked.
“Ouch. Good thing I’m not mortal.”
Hazel released her mother her cheeks were a deep crimson. Enid laughed. Then hugged her daughter.
“Never change Hazel.”
Enid motioned for her to follow. The pair walked into the boardroom where Eyre and Amee were waiting. Eyre looked at her mother with concern in her eyes.
“Mom I heard…bones cracking.”
“Your sister got a bit overexcited when I told her she could take her tablet with her to the past.”
Hazel blushed again. Eyre looked up at Hazel.
“Are you sure you’re my sister? I can’t believe someone so tall came from someone so short.”
Hazel shrugged.
“I almost killed her or so my sisters told me.”
Eyre blinked at Enid. Who shrugged in response.
“She was breech, I needed to work her sisters through a c-section.”
“Without anesthetic?”
“How else could I have walked them through it?”
“Mom you’re insane.”
“She had to get out or we both would have died.”
Eyre blinked at her mother in disbelief and threw her hands up. Amee looked between the two siblings and their mother with a bemused expression on her face.
“Well Hazel we should get going, the board of Aurelius corp gets anxious when I’m away for too long.”
Enid hugged Hazel, then Eyre.
“Have a safe trip. We’ll catch up when I get back. Say hi to your sister for me.”
“If she’ll speak to me.”
Enid tugged her daughters close and took a selfie with them. Then swept her hand sending it to Eyre’s device.
“There you go, send her that, its bound to get her attention.”
Eyre chuckled.
“Come on Hazel. I’ll show you the gray ball that is earth now.”
Hazel blinked.
“Wait, we’re going to space?”
“Yes, trans-orbital is the fastest way to travel.”
Hazel bounced and blinked back at her mother as they walked away. Enid smiled and waved after her. Amee looked down towards Enid.
“I’ll get you a place to stay.”
“Actually…I have a date.”
Amee shook her head.
“I’ll be at Cloud 9, Room 83.”
“Are you sure?”
“Well, that’s where my date is…”
“I’ll get you a ride.”
“No need, I have one waiting.”
“Alright. I’d say get some rest the ship is leaving early but…I know you lot don’t sleep.”
Enid chuckled. Amee pressed her hand on the table.
“Allison come in here please.”
Amee’s assistant walked into the boardroom shortly afterwards.
“Allison, please escort my guest to her skycar. Also have a full WTO specialist kit prepared for her and packed on my personal shuttle.”
“Of course Chairwoman Jace.”
Enid followed Allison who led her to the waiting skycar. Bee nodded to Enid. Enid slid into the back seat.
“Where too Ms. Aurelius?”
“Cloud 9 please.”
Bee glanced back at Enid.
“Did you say Cloud 9?”
Enid nodded in confirmation. Bee shrugged and drove out of the fly through landing bay. Enid started stuffing all the things she and Hazel had bought into her pack. Swearing to herself that she hadn’t passed it to Eyre. The skycar flew through the darkened dome. Tonight three moons lit up the holographic sky. Enid looked up at them.
“Three moons?”
Bee nodded as she drove.
“This month is three moons. Next will be spooky moon for Halloween.”
“I thought they were trying to simulate a real sky.”
“I guess at first they did, but hey we can make our own sky, why not have fun with it? We get a Martian sky on the anniversary of the first Mars landing, and the sky from the first exoplanet on the anniversary of the first entry into Alpha Centauri.”
Enid shook her head.
“And people don’t mind?”
“Well, you know there are always complaints but most of us won’t see a planet that is light years away so why not? I’ve done the holo-tour of the first landing site with my daughter. So good. Unfortunately, now she wants to join the WTO and explore strange new worlds.”
Enid leaned close to the front seat.
“How likely is that?”
“Well anything is likely but it still takes months and years to travel to different systems and there is no profit in it.”
Bee shrugged. Enid smiled at Bee.
“I’m making it my goal to fly a fighter in space.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. I used to fly them…before I was frozen.”
“Oh, they just thawed you out? No wonder you seem so starry eyed.”
“Yes. Everything is new to me.”
“You are from the 20th century?”
“21st if I’m being accurate. I used to fly fighters off of aircraft carriers when there were oceans.”
“Wow. There are people that would love to hear those old war stories.”
Enid nodded.
“The flying was fun, the wars were not. I tend to talk about the flying, not the battles. War means you lose people.”
“You’re an honest to the Dark Mother, 21st century veteran?”
“Yes.”
“Who is this Dark Mother you keep talking about?”
“She’s the daughter of God, saved the world.”
Enid looked around.
“Doesn’t seem saved.”
“How have you not heard…never mind. Just got thawed out. But you would have been alive when she…”
Bee looked back at Enid and blinked.
“Wait…oh…wait…”
Enid sighed.
“You’re her. You’re the Dark Mother! I thought I recognized you but I just thought it was how much you looked like the CEO. But you’re her!”
“Guilty. But I’m no savior Bee. I’m just like you, trying to keep my kids fed and safe.”
“No, no you fought the Dark one, saved all of creation.”
“Bee, whatever your holy book says about me, its wrong. I’m not anything special.”
Bee had tears on her cheeks.
“I can’t believe I didn’t realize… I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
Enid sighed and pondered wiping the woman’s memory.
“Look, I’m trying to keep my presence quiet. I don’t want to cause…issues.”
Bee had parked the skycar in a landing zone by Cloud 9. It would have been a non-descript building if not for the naked holographic girls dancing around the outside. Enid blinked at it and shrugged. Bee was staring at Enid.
“Bee, I can make you forget who I am, or if you promise me you can keep this between you and me, I can just let you keep your memories…”
“I can keep quiet Dark Mother. I can.”
“Good. I’ll need a ride first thing, apparently I’m going to Pluto.”
“Pluto?”
“Yes, do you know who my sister is?”
“She’s…oh she’s Fleet Admiral Maria Aurelius. She…she led the first mission to Alpha Centauri, developed the FTL drive…oh she’s…not been seen for years.”
“That’s because she’s been trying to rescue me from…well from where I was stuck after I had the battle with the Dark One. The Pluto thing is also secret I guess, so best not chat about it okay?”
“Sure thing. I’ll be here at 7 am.”
“See you then.”
“Dark Mother…could you…could you grant me your blessing.”
Enid nodded, though she was trying not to show the exasperation she was feeling on her face.
“I bless you in the name of my father.”
“Thank you, Dark Mother.”
Enid nodded and got out. She walked inside Cloud 9 and past the front desk and took the elevator to the eight floor. She knocked on the door to Room 83. Keith answered. Enid leaned on the doorway.
“I’m cold again.”
Keith smiled down at her.
“We can fix that.”