Enid and Henry were up to their usual afternoon habit. She was on top of him, and he was inside her. She shifted backwards and kissed him slipping her tongue between his lips. Her she sat up and pressed him further inside her fingers reaching down and pinching his nipples and tugging them gently that was enough with the movements of her hips to elicit a groan and a flood of warmth inside her. She leaned down brushing her blonde hair out of the way and kissed him more gently this time. Almost lovingly. Then she shifted again, and he shuddered. He looked at her with half-closed eyes. She shifted again and he shuddered once again. Having tortured him enough she slipped off of him and snuggled against him her fingers playing with the mix of dark and grey hairs on his chest.

“Did I break you, Henry?”

He shifted and wrapped his arm around her and kissed her chin then her lips.

“No but if we keep this up you might.”

Enid kissed his nose playfully.

“I heard you were once the most virile pirate in the Atlantic at one time. How the mighty have fallen.”

He laughed softly his hands sliding down to her hips then up under her arm to cup her breast and pinch her nipple. Enid bit her lower lip as her nipple firmed up her breath catching her throat he tugged gently then released and kissed her again.

“You wound me, Lady Sarah.”

Enid kissed him again.

“You’re the one sticking things in me.”

He laughed and rolled her over on her back and pressed her down with his body weight his hips between her thighs and he kissed her again. Enid lifted her arms and wrapped them around him her fingers dancing along his spine. She looked up into his blue eyes. He kissed her again.

“Who do I remind me of when you get that far off look in your eye? A lost love?”

Enid smiled and kissed him back.

“Just my…husband.”

He lifted himself up and looked down at her.

“So, you will get married, just not to me. Are you cheating on him?”

Enid smiled and shook her head.

“No, my dear Henry, he died a very long time ago.”

“Then why do you decline my offer? I am a good man. I will care well for you and our children.”

“Because Henry, this is lust, not love.”

He smiled sadly at her.

“You spend a lot of time lying to yourself, Lady Sarah.”

Enid rolled her eyes and shoved him off with more strength than he expected. She had so much control over her shape now she could be what she wanted moment to moment and at that moment she wanted to be her vampiric self. Enid sat up and started cleaning herself off and grabbing her breaches and her top.

“I need to go.”

He reached out to put his hand on her back and she slapped it hard enough for him to feel the sting. She tugged her pants on and pulled her top over her shoulders and started tugging her boots on while he watched her.

“Don’t be like this Sarah, I was only… I was talking out my ass.”

“I have things to do.”

He watched her gather the rest of her things and tugged the blankets over his waist.

“This man I remind you of… your husband… how long were you with him?”

She frowned she slung the strap of her Atlantean pack over her shoulder and neck. As if it were a modern-day purse. She looked down at him

“Sixty-four years.”

He blinked at her as she walked out of the room, they shared more often than not. She didn’t make it far before she leaned on a wall and cried softly while holding herself. She heard footsteps and stood up and wiped the tears from her face and tried to appear like she wasn’t having an emotional breakdown. It was one of Henry’s daughters and Enid’s attempts to conceal how upset she was failed miserably. The girl approached her.

“Did father do something foolish?”

Enid shook her head.

“Just remembering someone who passed away a long time ago.”

The girl hugged Enid tightly. She returned the hug then straightened out her clothes.

“I need to be somewhere. Thank you.”

The girl waved and watched Enid as she walked down the hallway to the main stairs. The truth was she had nowhere to be for several hours but Henry’s ability to see through her façade was too much to handle today. Rose was working and her younger self was going to be confined to the great indoors. She meandered her way down the hill into the plains and eventually to the docks where she leaned on the railing of a ramshackle lookout position that was chronically unmanned. Port Royal’s watch as they were, were rarely sober and even more rarely at their posts.

“You are the mistress of all space and time and what are you doing? Looking at sailing ships.”

She whispered to herself quietly as she reached into her pack and pulled out a bottle of the hundred proof rum Port Royal was so famous for. She tugged the cork out and spit it into the water and took a long pull. She shivered as it burned her throat. She was already tipsy after the first two mouthfuls and was bereft of any of her supernatural abilities, so she didn’t notice someone approach her from behind. She only realized someone was there when the bottle was snatched from her hand and throwing into the ocean below.

“Fuck off Hazel.”

She turned to look who it was and was surprised to see it wasn’t her daughter but a familiar fourth dimensional being that she could perceive just fine without going mad.

“Oh… it’s you.”

A white bird landed on the wooden railing. Enid glanced at it.

“A dove? How imaginative. What do you want, Artiya’il?”

“Just checking in, sister.”

“I’m fine.”

“Drinking alone in the middle of the afternoon… In my experience this is not what the mortals do when they’re ‘fine’.”

“You know I can send you to hell now, right?”

Artiya’il picked at his feathers and flapped his wings.

“If that would make you feel better. I am here to support you.”

Enid squeezed the wooden railing.

“How are you always so… nice.”

“It is my purpose.”

“I just want to be alone.”

“Yet you wished for me to return, Seraph. So, I did. What troubles you?”

Enid glanced down at the bird and for passersby she likely looked quite mad talking to a dove.

“Why would I want you here? I hate you. You’re too… happy. I mean how can you be happy, or nice to me I locked you out of Heaven, you can’t even see the rest of your brothers and sisters.”

“My purpose is to guide wayward souls and the lost. As long as I can do that then it matters not where I am does it?”

“You… have no goals of your own?”

“You still don’t understand. As long as I’m fulfilling my purpose I am filled with joy.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“You are just so happy its creepy, that’s what it is. You’re like one of those love bomb people. Its like you’re a cult leader.”

“Perhaps you need a love bomb? Or guidance? You seem lost.”

Enid glared at the bird.

“You aren’t going to leave me be until I have some sort of a breakthrough, are you? Where were you when I needed therapy? Huh?”

“I was there right beside you the whole-time sister. Your mortal mind just couldn’t comprehend me. Who do you think told Doctor Anderson not to close the blinds? I held your hand when you started to lose control of the magic at your battle with Chronos. I whispered the word date into Allison’s ear. She is such a wonderful person.”

“You? I thought it was God.”

“The Father created me, so it was him, in a way.”

Enid ran her hands through her blonde hair.

“So sister, why have you summoned me?”

“I didn’t! Go away!”

“You have a conflict inside you. Why did your mortal lover’s words cut so deeply? Is it perhaps because they might have some truth to them?”

“You were watching? Pervert!”

“You act as if I would derive pleasure… I do not feel the same needs you do, sister. I have never had a mortal form. I am somewhat jealous, but they would interfere with my purpose.”

“I’ll interfere with your God damned purpose. God is such a prick.”

“Really?”

“Yes really. Its not the worst thing I’ve ever called him.”

“This is very true, even before you became a mortal your vocabulary was… more colorful than the rest of us.”

“Why are you really here?”

“Why do you think I am?”

“You… are seriously… frustrating.”

“Yes, you have said that many times, sister, but still, I would not be here if you did not need me. Tell me what do you think you’re lying to yourself about?”

Enid glared at him again.

“Are you trying to piss me off?”

“I do not need to try. It is your natural state.”

Enid threw her hands up and screamed softly.

“Very good control. Nothing shook. I am impressed.”

“I’m in sunlight dumb ass.”

“Oh, that is of no consequence is it now? You’ve stopped lying to yourself about who you really are, now you need to find out what else you’ve been hiding from yourself, sister.”

“I feel like I’m missing something, some part of me that would let me see the whole picture. Would guide me to victory.”

“Perhaps sister it is not the thing you are missing that you fear, but what victory might mean.”

“What are you going on about?”

“What you think you’re fearful of, you’re lying to yourself about, isn’t necessarily what you’re frightened of, perhaps… you might go see our father. Heaven is a very contemplative place. Excellent for soul-searching.”

“Except everything is locked down and I don’t belong in Heaven. I’m not even sure God does at this point. And I can’t even get there.”

“Sister, you crafted the different planes of existence, save the land of the dead. No place, time or dimension is out of your reach. So, what is stopping you besides yourself?”

Enid let out a soft scream.

“Why don’t you do something helpful and tell me which humans are demon possessed since you seem to be able to zip about unseen huh?”

“That is not my purpose, Seraph, it is yours.”

“If you weren’t an incorporeal what’s it, I’d strangle you right now.”

“I can from a physical body if it would aid you in feeling better.”

“No! It was a figure of speech. Gah just go find some mortal to cheer up.”

“As you wish, I think we had a productive discussion.”

Enid made a shooing motion with her hands.

“Go be happy somewhere else.”

*****

Enid met herself and her daughters at the Salty Teat. She was the late arrival. Mostly on account of her stopping by Rose’s house for a quicky. Her hair was a mess, and her clothes were looking a bit worse for wear. Hazel looked at her and shook her head taking another drink of her ale.

“I’m embarrassed to be your daughter.”

Enid smiled at her while scrunching her eyes.

“You say the nicest things. Anything new to report?”

Her younger self frowned.

“I have news but you’re not going to like it.”

Enid looked directly at her.

“I’ve never been one to sugar coat stuff so out with it.”

“Rose has one in her.”

Enid felt like throwing up, she didn’t because currently she was a vampire but the emotional punch to the gut didn’t have any less impact.

“How do you know?”

“I saw her talking to a guy with angel wings in a bowl of water while you were sleeping off whatever the two of you did last night.”

Enid’s wooden tankard shattered spraying her with ale. Helen put a calming hand on her forearm.

“Breathe mother, just breathe.”

Hazel finished the last of her current ale.

“Lets got dig it out of her then.”

Enid glared at her daughter.

“No. We will do no such thing.”

Her younger self nodded in agreement and glanced at Hazel.

“Your… I… Fuck it, she’s right. This is an opportunity.”

Hazel looked at the younger Enid.

“You’re agreeing with her? I thought you two hated each other.”

Tell elder Enid started gathering up the pieces of her shattered wooden mug and spoke without meeting Hazel’s gaze.

“We may have… had a long talk about who I am. So, she knows and has been spying on Henry and Rose for me while I kept up appearances. This was… just confirmation of what we already suspected.”

Hazel looked between both versions of her mother in disbelief.

“You lied to us?”

The eldest Enid shook her head and leaned in close keeping her voice down.

“No, we just didn’t correct your assumptions. The point is for us to be on our back foot. Unsteady, disorganized and fractured. Henry is clear I checked him in his sleep. Rose I haven’t had a chance. So, all eyes are on Rose. Umm young me, you have her at night. Hazel and Helen, you have her during the day. Helen you’re going to apply for a job as a seamstress. I’ll teach you something that will help tonight.”

Hazel frowned.

“So, she gets the cushy job while I get to walk around the streets? How’s that fair?”

Enid, the older one frowned at her.

“Do you know how to sew?”

Hazel shifted in her seat.

“Yes.”

“Really?”

She looked at her younger self.

“You remember that blanket we had when we were a kid? The patchwork one?”

Her younger self nodded.

“If you were to describe who made it what would you say?”

“A blind monkey probably could have sewed it better, but it kept us warm. Damn I miss that blanket sometimes.”

The eldest of the two Enids looked at Hazel.

“You see my point?”

Hazel frowned.

“We loved it, we used it every single day of our lives rarely left our side, but it was no work of art.”

Hazel rolled her eyes and nodded. The younger Enid looked between the two curiously.

“So, she made that?”

“Yes, she did. Unfortunate she sews as well as we cook.”

The younger Enid looked at Hazel and touched her hand in an uncharacteristic show of emotion.

“It was the only thing good in that village, Hazel besides Cela. It got me… us through some tough times when we needed something to cuddle. Thank you. I’m betting she never told you that.”

Hazel was staring at her ale and shook her head.

“Well one of us needs too. It was the only thing we had that was ours. Not even our bod… You know what it was like for us. Thank you.”

Hazel didn’t say anything she just glomped onto the younger Enid and bear hugged her. The younger Enid returned the tight hug. The elder Enid watched, and a small smile graced her lips as she watched part the crusty heartless exterior her younger self tried to project soften and melt. Hazel went back to her seat and glared at the elder Enid.

“At least you used to know how to say thank you properly instead of insulting my sewing.”

“Well, it’s been less time for her then me, hasn’t it? Anyway, are we all clear on our assignments? Young me watches her at night. Helen who still needs to sleep will do so during the evening, Hazel you will follow Rose when she’s out and about, use your holo-web, disguise yourself, use the camo, whatever you need too. Helen once I teach you what you need to know you’ll get a job at Francisco’s dress shop you watch her at work. I will just keep doing what I’m doing. Remember she is pregnant, and we need to watch out for the baby.”

Hazel glanced at her mother.

“Are you seriously going to keep having sex with her after you found out she has a demon inside her?”

Enid sighed.

“No, I don’t want too. But I need to keep up appearances. We need to find them all by association its all we have. I will try to spend less time with her to give the demon more time to do whatever it wants. Also, to feed it false information. Young me you come with Helen, and I’ll teach you, my trick. Which I’m going to have to make you forget to keep the timeline intact. I’m very sorry for that but you’ll learn it again in three hundred years give or take. I really wanted to avoid it but the more I think about it the more it makes sense to weed out all of the demons. Also, if we need too we can swap places.”

Her younger self shrugged.

“Hazel, you can come if you want but its basically going to be a bunch of vampires drinking each other’s blood.”

Hazel wrinkled her nose.

“Thanks, but no thanks I’ll just go watch more Supernatural.”

Enid laughed.

“That is slightly ironic.”

The three vampires stood up and Enid led them up to Henry Tanner’s mansion where she had a private office now. As they walked Helen being ever curious glanced at her mother.

“Mother, why was what Hazel said ironic?”

Enid chuckled.

“It’s a story about hunters who hunt things like us. Though I guess it is also slightly on point since I vaguely recall they were trying to beat Lucifer too…”

The younger Enid scoffed.

“Human hunters couldn’t find a real vampire if one bit them.”

The elder Enid nodded.

“You are not wrong.”

She glanced to Helen who looked confused.

“They tend to get like one real vampire for every thousand or so mortals they kill. They are really bad at it. Or at least the Inquisition was.”

“Did they say Joan of Arc was one?”

The elder Enid nodded in agreement with her younger self.

“They did. I mean her fighting on battlefields during the day didn’t give them a clue?”

The younger Enid shook her head.

“Its men intimidated by a strong woman and needed to reassert their dominance.”

The elder Enid and Helen nodded in agreement. The younger Enid glanced at Helen.

“So, you’re a Seer. Did you know you’re supposed to have a special sword?”

Helen shook her head.

“Yes, well the older version of me seemed to forget so I will craft you one while I’m stuck inside during the day.”

Helen had a hop in her step after that revelation. The elder Enid blinked then glanced at her younger self.

“You know, I think I know how we can mark that demon without him realizing it.”

Her younger self looked at her.

“That marking spell you were talking about?”

Enid nodded.

“I have father’s blood in some blood stones. Enough you could easily use blood magic and heal yourself.”

“What are you talking about?”

Helen clueless too what they were discussing just let them chatter.

“Oh, you don’t know yet. Okay so the reason blood magic is so bad is because when we use it the only way to really recover is to drink vampire blood. Since it can bind us… that generally means the vampire dies but because its father’s blood it won’t. I have like five full stones.”

“So?”

“We interrupt one her updates. Rather I will wake up suddenly in the middle of the night and be confused why she is outside. While I distract her you will shape change to look like her and zap him through the connection. Then you act like I came back out again and close the communication. Then you fix yourself with dad’s blood. Fallen one or the demon overseer has no clue we’re on to them. And if they communicate before we finish, He won't realize we swapped because Rose will apologize because interrupted her. You just need to make sure all you need to do is have it ready to just complete it with a word. So, you’ll have to hold the charge so to speak. Which you are fully capable of…we are capable of.”

“You know, I couldn’t have come up with a better plan myself.”

“Well, we do share a brain, soul, history…everything after all.”

The trio reached the mansion and spent the rest of the evening swapping powers and teaching the younger Enid an Atlantean spell.