His eyes moved from left to right as he faced them.
Elder Zhang Guo, the oldest of the eight, was Tenzin’s sire and a warlord of some kind from the ancient steppes of the North.
Royal Uncle Cao, the youngest of the eight, was still over twelve hundred years old. An earth vampire of unknown origin, he usually wore a pleasant smile.
The Immortal Woman, He Xiangu, sat next to Cao. She met the eyes of her fellow fire vampire, who nodded at her with respect.
Lu Dongbin, the ancient water-master, scholar, and reluctant leader of the eight, sat near the center next to Zhongli Quan, the wind vampire who met him in uneasy truce. The two had been embroiled in a somewhat polite tug-of-war for power for over two millennia.
The earth-master and legendary healer, Iron Crutch Li sat next to Zhongli, and next to him was possibly the most enigmatic immortal Giovanni had ever met.
Lan Caihe was a fire vampire and had been turned at a very young age, but that was all anyone knew about him…or her. No one even knew that much, and Lan wasn’t sharing.
The last of the eight was the philosopher and water vampire, Han Xiang, a watchful immortal with an enigmatic smile.
Giovanni estimated that at least sixty other vampires and numerous humans milled around the room, positioned in relation to their allies and associates. All of them paused and turned when Giovanni, Beatrice and Baojia entered the room.
As one, the Eight Immortals wearing identical white robes rose to greet them, and the rush of energy that rolled through the room was enough to make Beatrice stumble back.
“Welcome, Giovanni Vecchio,” Zhang greeted him in Mandarin. “And welcome, Baojia. Your presence is unexpected, but not unwelcome.”
Baojia nodded, but refrained from bowing toward Zhang.
He Xiangu, the Immortal Woman, smiled and nodded as she surveyed the group. “It is pleasant to have such respected vampires in our midst, particularly a famed one of my own element, but who is this young human you have with you? Who is this girl who warrants protection from both the lion and the dragon?”
Giovanni stepped forward. “Elder He, may I introduce the granddaughter of Don Ernesto Alvarez, a friend of Tenzin, and my companion, Beatrice De Novo.” He motioned Beatrice forward and she nodded respectfully toward the eight, as Giovanni had instructed her. When she spoke, it was in English, which Giovanni knew all the Elders spoke.
“I am honored to be introduced to the hall. Thank you for your invitation, Elder Zhang Guo.”
“You are welcome here, Miss De Novo,” Zhang answered with a smile. “It is my pleasure to meet my daughter’s dear friend.” He looked to Giovanni as if searching for a reaction when he continued, still in English. “I believe there is another present in the hall who is even more pleased to see you than the Elders.”
Zhang nodded toward Lu, who lifted an open hand and motioned to the side of the enormous room. The crowd parted to reveal a slim vampire dressed in the dull, grey robes common among scholars of the court. Giovanni recognized him immediately and turned to Beatrice to hold her hand when she gasped in recognition.
“Dad?”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth Hunter is the author and independent publisher of the Elemental Mysteries Series.
She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College in the Department of English (Linguistics) and a former English teacher.
A native of Central California, she now lives in Southern California with her husband, son, and an assortment of dogs. She enjoys reading, writing, travel, and bowling (despite the fact that she’s not very good at it.)
Learn more about her writing at her author website, elizabethhunterwrites.com or contact her by e-mail at
[email protected]
Elizabeth Hunter, This Same Earth
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