“Yes.” She nodded. “It’s all about using your energy, concentrating it into a shape of your choosing, and channeling it until your inner fire pours into it. I know, easier said than done, but let me show you what I mean.”
She closed her eyes for a second, and the air seemed to heat up around us. She clicked both lighters open above her head. Their flames flickered blue and amber. She took a deep breath, then passed her thumbs over the small fires and slowly brought her arms down.
I gasped as I watched the lighters leave behind two flame trails that shaped themselves into a pair of long swords, made of pure fire.
“Holy crap, that looks amazing!” I gawked at Caia’s fire blades, and she held them up with a grin.
“Pretty cool, right?”
“Oh yeah, I definitely want to learn how to do that! Do they cut? I mean, how do they work?” I asked, my thumbs gently pushing against the caps on my lighters.
“It’s fire. It’s loose; it doesn’t cut,” Caia replied, looking at the flames. “I think I can get more energy channeled into them, to maybe make them more compact so the blades can actually cut… You know, like lasers! I mean, I can try?”
“Wow, I would definitely love to see that.” I laughed. “But even in their current state, I’m pretty sure you can inflict some serious damage, right?”
“Let’s find out.” She put on a mischievous smile and moved closer to one of the thick wooden columns in the middle of the plateau. It was normally used for climbing and balancing on its top, but my sister had other plans for it.
I watched in awe as Caia brought both her flaming swords down against the pillar. The wood lit up, the fires swallowing it whole so fast, we didn’t even see whether the blades had actually cut through it.
“Whoa!” Caia took a few steps back as the pillar blazed bright and orange.
“Oh, crap,” I muttered, shoving the lighters back in the pockets of my training suit and putting my hands out.
I coaxed the fire into doing my bidding, wiggling my fingers to force it down. The flames dimmed until the only thing left was a charred stick, with red embers still crackling down its length. I looked around the Plateau, then, and noticed that all eyes were on us.
There was a mixture of awe and surprise, while Bijarki stood out, beaming with pride as he moved toward us. I felt my cheeks flush, and Caia gave me a friendly nudge.
“Yeah, we make a good team, Sis.” She snorted. “I set fires, you put them out. Well done!”
I chuckled. Bijarki stopped by my side to drop a soft kiss on my cheek, glancing at the burnt wood pillar.
“Try not to burn GASP down, ladies,” he said lightly. “Although I must admit, that’s impressive.”
“Why, thank you ever so much,” I replied, feigning a Southern accent and fluttering my eyelashes at him. His gaze darkened, raw with desire, and I felt his incubus nature enveloping me with heat and a delicious lightheadedness before he pulled himself back and got a hold of himself.
“I’ll… I’ll go over there,” he mumbled, his silvery eyes fixed on me.
That look on his face said we were in for a long and passionate night. Not that I had any objections to that. Every night with Bijarki was full of bliss, well into the break of dawn. I just found him adorable whenever he forgot to reign in his incubus nature.
He moved over to Harper’s side. She was catching her breath, while Hansa, Serena, and Anjani recovered as well. Harper’s stamina was impressive, and Phoenix often referred to her as a beast, in the most positive sense of the word. Serena was equally infatuated with her younger and, at the same time, older sister. Serena was eighteen, but Harper was born during the Eritopian time lapse, and had recently turned twenty. Nevertheless, they were inseparable, their character differences bringing them even closer, as if they perfectly complemented each other.
“Harper, it’s time I teach you something nifty.” Bijarki smiled, prompting the vampire sentry to straighten her back in response.
“Oh?” she asked, raising an eyebrow with genuine interest.
“You’re fast and aggressive enough to learn a new fighting technique,” he replied. “It’s part of the incubi’s warfare tactic, mastered by trained assassins, to be precise. Few are selected to learn it.”
“I feel honored, then!” She grinned.
“Try to attack me.” He winked, taking a defensive stance.
Harper nodded and immediately came at him with a left hook. He ducked, then delivered soft blows in short and simple, unexpected moves. It reminded me of Wing Chun, a Kung Fu style that had risen to popularity in the first half of the 20th century on Earth. Harper was surprised and tried to counteract his hits, but Bijarki was too fast and getting too close.
He took a step back, and pointed at the empty space between them.
“See this?” he asked. “There’s too much room. You want to get close, really close, to your adversary. You want to use your fists, knees, and feet in an effective manner, because you won’t always be able to keep your distance, and your life might depend on what you do in close quarters.”
“I like it.” Harper nodded. “But I’m guessing it’s not something you learn on the spot.”
“No, but I can show you some basic moves now, and we can set up an hour or two every day to train further.”
“Sounds like a plan. Teach me, sensei!” Harper joked.
“What’s that?” Bijarki blinked with confusion.
“Oh, it means ‘teacher’ in martial arts, a fighting style on Earth.”
Bijarki processed the information, then smirked.
“I like it. You can call me Sensei Bijarki then.”
I giggled, totally head over heels for my incubus. I loved watching him teach; it made him so happy and energized. He’d really found his calling in GASP, and was now eager to share his ample military experience and knowledge with the younger recruits.
I looked over to the other guys, and noticed Blaze had been left without a sparring partner. Patrik had retired to the door to confer with Draven, Jax, and the elder Novaks. Bijarki noticed, too, and briefly glanced at Caia before he called the fire dragon over.
“Blaze!” he said. “Get over here and spar with Caia. Can’t have you standing around so idly!”
Blaze instantly nodded and crossed the Plateau at a sprint. He was the spitting image of his dad, Heath. His dark blue eyes fixed on Caia as he reached us. He looked at Bijarki for a moment, pressing his lips together.
“Are you sure?” he murmured to Bijarki, then settled his gaze on Caia again.
“I’m positive, Blaze. Do not underestimate your opponent,” Bijarki replied. “Use both physical combat and fire skills. Reps of five minutes with one-minute breaks in between.”
Bijarki then focused on teaching Harper some new moves, while Caia moved closer to Blaze, her teal eyes glimmering. They both nodded to each other, and assumed their fighting stances.
“I’ll, uh, be blowing fire in my human form,” Blaze stated, his tone slightly awkward. “I’m a bit large for this platform as a dragon… I might topple a few columns.”
“Okay,” she replied, offering him a small smile. “I’ll start, then.”
Caia moved, flipping open her lighters and summoning a long fire whip, which she lashed at Blaze so fast, he had to jump back a couple of feet to avoid a burn. It caught him by surprise, but he didn’t immediately use his own fire. Instead, he dodged her strikes until he managed to close the distance between them.
Caia turned three hundred and sixty degrees with her fire whip to amplify the impact of her next lash, but Blaze dropped down and swept her feet from under her. Caia fell flat on her back with a grunt, her flames extinguished, and Blaze offered her a hand. She took it, and he helped her up with a pull that brought him a little too close, their faces inches away from one another.
They seemed entranced, until Caia took a deep breath and reignited her lighter, this time fashioning two short fire batons. The flames seemed more concentrated than her previou
s sword forms, reminding me of the incandescent blade that Ori had used against Azazel.
“I definitely didn’t expect that,” Blaze warned Caia. “Your skills are impressive.”
“I would like to see yours, too, while we’re here,” Caia replied with a smirk, then came at him with a succession of fiery blows. Blaze pulled back, dodging the hits, then blew a strong fire column at her, prompting Caia to bring her forearms together in a cross and immediately turn her batons into a thick, flaming shield. It worked well, but the strength of Blaze’s fire pushed her farther back, forcing her to take a knee.
Caia bellowed against the sheer force of the fire column, summoning her abilities to come out in full, and her shield burst out with an explosion so powerful, it canceled Blaze’s attack and threw him backward. He landed several feet away, and needed a minute to shoot back up to his feet.
I couldn’t help but clap at the sheer display of strength and skill from both of them. Caia wore a proud grin, putting her lighters away and lifting her index finger in the air.
“Sorry if I got a little too intense,” she said. “I can tell we’re being screened for something today, so I figured I’d give it my best.”
He chuckled, then nodded with appreciation.
“You most certainly did,” he replied, his voice a touch lower than usual.
There was a twinkle in his eyes that reminded me of my first few days around Bijarki, back at the mansion. I could see the attraction—it didn’t need explaining. Blaze then frowned and looked away, focusing his gaze on Bijarki and Harper’s training.
He was probably seeing Caia now for the first time, in a way. They’d grown up in The Shade during the Eritopian time lapse, but my sister had spent most of her time within the Residences community, while Blaze lived on the other side of the island, with the dragon folk.
I knew his dad Heath and our mom had gotten close at one point before dad had come into the picture… which made this little potential coupling all the more interesting. I couldn’t wait to see where it might lead.
Anjani
The day I’d never imagined I’d experience was finally here.
My wedding day.
My heart was thudding, wrestling against my ribcage as Corrine made the final adjustments to my dress. All my favorite girls were with me, along with members of my new family: Hansa, my sister and my best friend; Serena, Aida, and Vita, the unbreakable trio who had helped us regain freedom for ourselves and our people; Victoria, Jovi’s mother and a woman who inspired me on so many levels; Vivienne, Jovi and Aida’s grandmother and truly a sight to behold, the epitome of grace and vampiric elegance; and Viola, a Daughter of Eritopia with a mind of her own and a heart the size of Calliope.
Aura and Almandine were busy giggling and braiding silver orchids into my long, curly black hair. They gathered the braided locks and twisted them into a loose, flowery bun resting on the back of my neck. I would’ve loved to have Izora, Hansa’s only living daughter and my niece, with us but she’d been sent to a therapy camp to recover from her severe war trauma. Hansa had been very quick to notice the signs and didn’t like talking about it much, mainly because it broke her heart to see Izora so quiet and sleepless. Watching her sisters die at the hands of Sluaghs and Destroyers had taken its toll on the young succubus, and her caregiver had told us Izora wanted some time alone with her inner ‘demons’, to heal on her own. Izora was a young warrior and, much like her mother, needed solitude to heal. It didn’t make Hansa too happy, but she respected the girl’s wishes. We didn’t want to interrupt her treatment, and her physical and emotional health was far more important than my wedding day.
Corrine had done a fantastic job with my wedding dress, and I was filled with gratitude for her craftsmanship and attention to detail. The corset was snug, glazed in fine white lace with delicate floral embroidery and small pearls. The bolero was made of the same lace, covering my shoulders and arms and somehow bringing out the natural shimmer of my skin. The skirt was beautiful, pure white, with a wide diameter and plenty of soft silvery tulle underneath to keep it full.
“You look absolutely breathtaking.” Corrine smiled as she took a few steps back, admiring her handiwork.
I felt my skin light up, my emotions running wild, and I struggled to stay upright. The excitement and jitters were getting to me, but I’d survived an actual war—there was no way a wedding would knock me off my feet.
“Thank you,” I mumbled, and looked at myself in the large floor mirror in front of me.
“Jovi will pass out at the altar. I’m willing to bet on it.” Aida grinned, her golden eyes glistening with tears of joy. I loved her like a sister, and I was thankful to be surrounded by so many incredible women as part of this new family of ours—a fascinating mixture of Eritopians and Shadians who advocated love, peace, and tolerance.
“I might pass out before him.” I chuckled, fighting another bout of lightheadedness.
Hansa came to stand in front of me and put her hands on my shoulders. She was a bridesmaid, as were Vita, Aida, Serena, Viola, Aura, and Almandine. Given the importance of this day, I wanted them all to be a part of it, and I wanted them to look as beautiful and as radiant as Jovi had made me feel from the moment we’d first laid eyes on each other. They wore matching dresses designed by Corrine’s daughter Arwen. They were simple but gorgeously elegant, the gray silk hugging their bodies, complete with thin straps and a large silver orchid on each right shoulder.
“You’re simply a vision, little sister,” Hansa said, her silvery skin glowing as she swallowed back tears. “So please, make us all proud and don’t fall flat on your face during your wedding ceremony. I will make fun of you for the rest of our lives, and that means oh, so many years…”
I burst into laughter and instantly relaxed as she smiled, then dropped a kiss on my forehead. Aura handed her a small silver bowl in which she’d prepared some red war paint—the color of our tribe, the color by which Eritopian society recognized us as Red Tribe succubi.
“I’m getting married, Sister,” I joked, watching as Hansa gathered some paint on her index finger. “I’m not going to war.”
“You are a succubus of the Red Tribe, Anjani Gorria,” Hansa declared with gravitas. “You will walk down the aisle as one. You will be married as one. And our new family must accept you and welcome you into the fold as one.”
I nodded slowly. She drew a single red line on my neck, from my chin to the meeting point of my collarbones. Her wisdom and pride were something I hoped I would one day acquire and impart to others, as well. Until then, however, I was honored to have her near me, to teach me even when I might think there was nothing left for me to learn.
She took a step back, wiping the tears that had finally broken through. Victoria took her place in front of me with a warm, loving smile.
“You know, I think this would be the point where I give you some advice on marriage and living as a couple,” she said gently. “But we all experience married life differently, and that’s the best part about being with someone. You get to write your own story, add in your own emotions, and, well… simply be! But I will tell you one thing, Anjani. My son is the luckiest creature in all the universes to have found you as a soulmate. Just love and be good to each other, and everything else will fall into place.”
“Thank you.” I fought back another wave of tears. Victoria took a deep breath and mounted a gorgeous set of clip-on pearl droplets on my earlobes. “I’m… I’m honestly out of words…”
“Save them for later, honey.” She winked. “These earrings belonged to my grandmother and namesake, Victoria Novak. They were part of her wedding dowry, and felt like an appropriate gift... Today you become a Blackhall, Anjani. Consider this your ‘something old’.”
She gave me a brief hug and stepped aside. I grabbed a tissue from Almandine’s trembling hands and patted the corners of my eyes. Aida came forward with a small silver box tied up with white ribbon. She gave it to me with a mischievous grin.
&nb
sp; “I think this is my way of officially welcoming you into the family,” she said. “I’ve thought of you as my sister since we were stuck beneath the protective shield of Draven’s mansion, to be honest, so I’ll just say what I’ve said before. Anjani, you are way out of my brother’s league, but he will love and cherish you until the very end. I hope you have a perfect wedding day, and that you get to look back and, like me, say ‘This is freakin’ perfect’!”
We both laughed as I opened the box and took out a tear-shaped perfume bottle. It looked very extravagant and expensive—I’d experienced shopping in “Hawaii” with Aida, and I’d seen this and many other equally luxurious brands in one of her favorite malls.
“It’s a rare edition. It’s been discontinued, but I thought it was perfect for you, so I made a few calls and got my hands on a dozen of these perfumes,” she said. “I also had Corrine add a magical twist to it, so make sure you wear it tonight. Combined with your succubus nature, it will have a very special effect.”
I now understood the mischief I’d seen behind her earlier smile. I blushed, lighting up all bright and silvery, as I sprayed some of the perfume behind my ears, then tucked the bottle away in a hidden pocket of my dress. I flashed Aida a grin and hugged her.
“Thank you… Sister,” I whispered in her ear.
“Consider this your ‘something new’,” she replied, then moved back so that Serena could take her place.
“Now for the ‘something borrowed’,” Serena said, holding up a superb pearl bracelet that actually matched my earrings and dress.
“I don’t get it.” I sighed, not familiar with Earthly customs.
“Oh! You don’t know.” Serena smiled as she put the bracelet around my wrist. “It’s a little wedding tradition we have back on Earth. We give gifts to the bride. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue! This is a bracelet that Draven got me during our honeymoon, and I’m giving it to you for today.”