Gods and Monsters
"We are both monsters, Gaius. Let us be so together, and seize the fucking heavens."
Ilithyia
Chapter One – A New World
Northern Virginia, Earth,
"As you know it's been a long time since I confided my thoughts here, long days, no weeks of terror and despair may have finally passed but many more seem to be ahead for us all.
As you well know I have…died and come back, loved deeply and lost, seen friends and relatives killed and even done my fair share of killing. Two months ago you remember I thought my life was already as insane as it could be, I guess the universe was listening and decided to prove me wrong.
But all of this happened in my own little world, mostly in an un-regarded little town – a little drama that few took part in. I thought everything we did …the life I lived was so very important but now I know different….
Two months ago, our world ended."
The young woman paused in her scribbling, cocking her dark head on one side as she listened to the wind howling through the shattered trees. Her eyes flickered across to her sole companion, who stood watching for danger, his lean body tense and alert.
She knew he hated this, running and hiding, and she ached to comfort him but she did not have the words…..not yet, so she returned to her writing, the pencil's scratching lost in the sounds of the angry storm.
"We had no warning, no announcement, nothing – not like in the films, but perhaps it was better that way, I don't know. I'd like to think we could have done something to help, but could we have fought this….can we fight….. this?
Caroline said we can and we should, especially those like us, but where is she now?
Jeremy, Stefan are gone too…my heart burns to write this…but I think they are truly gone. Even my, no, our home is gone, burned and blasted to ash and so many people with it.
And the rest of the world likely is now little more than ash in the wind for all we know."
Her lover glanced over at her again, a crooked smile flickering over his pale face as he watched her write. It was a pleasure, a reassurance to see her take an interest in such things; it would at least take her mind of the gnawing hunger that she would be feeling.
They would both need to feed very soon.
xx
Tyre, Geo-stationary Orbit, Earth
The woman looked out of the huge window at the orb below, its normal blue-green colour smudged with the fog of war and total devastation. She was tall and slender, her athletic figure accentuated and revealed by the elaborate outfit she wore, although not through any choice of her own.
Precious jewels dripped enticingly from her ears, encircled her throat and poured down into the daring cut neckline. Incongruously one of the larger emeralds at her throat continually pulsed with light, seemingly in time with her heart.
Behind her stood two large unsmiling men, they were of a similar height, one dark skinned; the other pale. Both were clad in elaborate armour, a mixture of chainmail and gilded metal plate that was in keeping with the lavish decoration of the room in which they all stood. They each bore staff weapons in their right hands, their eyes watching the movements of their charge with exaggerated care.
In the shadows shed by the burning braziers and hidden strip lights, a young woman in clothes and jewels that were a pale reflection of the woman she was attending upon waited, hoping not to be required or noticed. She wore her long red hair in a long pony tail that reached to her waist, and her vivid blue eyes were kept low.
A deep rumbling noise issued from the huge door nearby and one of the guards pivoted slightly so he could see clearly who was entering. In contrast his companion made no move, maintaining his vigilance over their charge who in turn seemed unaware or unconcerned.
Another warrior entered, equally un-helmed but without the staff weapon, his bald head glistening in the warmth of the ships interior. He nodded curtly to the guard and approached the small group at a brisk walk, addressing the woman standing at the window.
"You are Summoned." His voice was deep and evidently used to obedience.
For a moment, it seemed the blonde had not heard but just as he was about to repeat his words, irritation in his eyes, she turned her head to face him, her soft freshly teased curls dancing on her bare shoulders.
Blue-green eyes coldly met those of the emissaries, the smouldering anger in hers burning the brighter of the two and forcing him to look away and down as he reverted back to long ingrained patterns of behaviour.
She said no word, but abruptly began to stride purposefully towards the now open door, long legs flashing in the firelight. The envoy back peddled, desperately trying to regain his dignity as he turned to lead the way, not seeing the slight smile she allowed herself as she walked on. Behind her the two guards followed, their heavy boots crashing down on the metallic floor masking the click of her glittering heels, whilst the maid also trailed reluctantly behind.
The corridors they traversed were large and also mostly fire-lit, as they walked she once again wondered at the strangeness of these invaders who mixed their advanced technology with such primitive displays and decorations. They reminded her of the elaborate costume parties she adored to arrange, but she reminded herself that hers usually had less torture and death, even at their wildest.
Occasionally they passed other inhabitants of the ship, mostly nervous menials who quickly dropped to their knees and averted their eyes as the small procession passed. A guard patrol also gave way, bowing their heads at the emissary who lead the woman to her fate.
Finally they arrived at their destination, another vast door sliding open as they approached, the faces of the two guards concealed behind huge ornate beast helms, light glittering at the eyes. They made no movement until all but the handmaiden had entered, then without warning the staffs crashed together in front of her causing her to gasp in fear and back away. A low chuckle emanated from behind one mask as the door rumbled to a close.
The room was huge, fires danced provocatively in many braziers and half a dozen fireplaces, vivid silks shifted softly and candles flickered in un-natural breeze, playfully illuminating nearby jewels. Shadows flickered and cavorted on the walls and ceiling except near the great throne that dominated the room, its ebony surface a contrast to the gilt of the walls, ceiling and floor.
A single man stood alone, waiting for her arrival. His deep voice somehow reverberated around the entire room, calm, relaxed and unsurprisingly in control.
"Leave us Aylul."
The named man bowed deeply and backed away, imitated by the clanking guards, the familiar rumbling of the door announced that the two seemed to be alone. Languidly he crossed the distance between them until only half a dozen feet separated them.
He was tall and lean, apparently of Middle Eastern descent with a small neatly trimmed beard, his hair was short and he was dressed in dark leather clothes with a high collar, an intricate jewelled artefact on his right hand. At his belt was a curved sword, its scabbard decorated with intricate gold thread designs that matched that atop his sable throne.
His eyes flickered over her appreciatively – much to her obvious annoyance as she flushed red in response and in anger.
"Ah, my dear, you really do look lovely, much more appropriate." His voice was modulated strangely, an inhuman inflection masking the normal tones.
"I look like a whore!"
He raised a sardonic eyebrow and smiled as she stepped forward, one hand raised but almost instantly hesitated as the jewel at her throat began to pulse amber and faint warning tone emanated from it.
Frustrated, she contented herself with yanking off one of the more flimsy bracelets and hurling at a nearby wall with formidable force. The links shattered and jewels and pearls scattered across the floor, she smiled as they rolled and spun away.
He glanced at them and sighed theatrically, "That bracelet was older than your civilisation."
"You can bill me…. So what exactly do you want?"
"Information - for whilst I find our continued flirtation amusing; there are things about you other than your beauty that intrigue me."
"My…our what…look…..I…..am not sure exactly what is going on here but throwing fancy dresses and sparkly jewels at me is not going to get you anywhere." She looked defiantly at him before she continued.
"You're the enemy, you're my enemy, you're the one killing my friends, and you're destroying my planet for God's sake! Why would I tell you anything?"
"True." He turned away for a moment and gestured casually and instantly a hardly clad serving slave scurried out the shadows, smoothly dropping to one knee as she approached and proffering a gold tray on which a pair of goblets glittered.
He took one goblet and stepped back and away, "At the moment I am asking nicely, because I choose to do so. You should hope I remain benevolent…."
She took a deep breath, "I have been tortured before."
"Not by me."
Her smile was defiant until he finished his next statement.
"Of course I don't have to torture you….do I? Not when I have another who can take your place?"
The silence between them held steady until he relented.
"Come drink with me, talk with me." He smiled again, "I just want you to tell me about one person, would that be so very hard?"
She said nothing but took the proffered goblet, her hand almost steady. The slave vanished back into the shadows
"Who?" Her voice was small in the great room.
"His name is Klaus; I believe you are….acquainted."